


A (be)longing

by yinuj



Category: Final Fantasy XIII, Final Fantasy XIII Series
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, F/M, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Past Sexual Assault, Suicide Attempt, older!Hope, random au no one asked for
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-30
Updated: 2020-09-11
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:08:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 20
Words: 25,985
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26188492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yinuj/pseuds/yinuj
Summary: A transfer student and ex-scholarship student meet unexpectedly. Both are running from their pasts, with nobody but themselves knowing it.
Relationships: Hope Estheim/Lightning
Comments: 34
Kudos: 37





	1. Pushed

_I’m bored, I’ve got homework, I just want this shift to finally end._

Lightning’s workplace was nothing more than a daily stop for college students desperate to stay awake for the day ahead of them. A classic cafe situated right outside of Bodhum’s respected university. She picked up this job about a year ago and she had grown uninterested— except for when the occasional event would occur: an obviously-not-meant-to-be couple would enter as one and leave as two. The cafe was a notorious magnet for break ups.

_Actually, that happens more than usual. Once a week? Twice a week? Oh, there was that one guy who came three times in a single week._

Ring. The bells of the door crashed as someone stumbled into the cafe. 

_Well this is new, not quite what I was expecting during the last ten minutes of my shift. He looks… different._

“Hi! I didn’t really mean to come in here, but I might as well get a cup of coffee,” said the dazed silver haired male. He looked a little too normal. His green eyes were a little too bright. The boy seemed genuine, but also kind of lost. It was obvious that he was new to town.

_Alright, here we go again._

“Welcome to the Sunleth Waterscape, what can I get for you?”

_Let’s see how many extra pumps of sugar free vanilla he’ll ask for. I’d place a bet on four._

“May I have a latte?” 

“Sure thing, any extra pumps or flavors?”

“Eh, just let me add some raw sugar and that’s good enough for me.”

_Huh. He’s not from here. I expected a Caramel Macchiato with quadruple the sugar from the looks of him._

“Okay, anything else I can get for you?”

“Nope! I appreciate you asking though!”

“Your total will be $3.50, whenever you are ready.”

“Here you are, thanks!” 

He handed his card over and let her swipe it. Her face was stern, but her words were kind enough; no one would be able to tell what she hid beneath her mask. And after handing back his card, she went straight to work on the order.

Usually, he never watched a barista make his drink, but today his attention wasn’t absorbed by the small device he held tightly in his hand. His fingers weren’t moving mindlessly, swiping his phone up and down, double-tapping from time to time. His fingers were still, his mind was calm, his eyes were lifted. His attention was focused on the pink-haired beauty in front of him. 

Lightning was a natural. Working an espresso machine was no easy feat. In one hand was a cup of milk, and in another a cup of grinds. Methodical and clean, just as she was taught. _Always steam the milk for forty-five seconds, and then start the espresso. There’s a ten second lifespan of a shot anyways, not that anyone truly cares._ The milk foamed and the espresso dripped. Lightning poured the two shots into a brown paper cup, and swirled the milk in next, letting the milk foam rise as the heated milk filled the container.

After slipping on the sleeve and closing the lid, she called out his order. He walked up and greeted her.

“Thanks. I have to say, you looked pretty cool making the latte, by the way. I was fascinated to say the least.”

Taken back, Lightning couldn’t help but smile a little. Her aqua eyes brightened for just a moment. She never felt appreciation while working before; she only worked for the money. 

“It’s nothing really… it’s expected after a year of work. Thanks, though. No one has ever really complimented my work before.”

“Well, my name’s Hope and I’ll be on my way. I’ll swing by soon!”

“See ya!”

The door had it’s classic jingle as he left. And instantly Lightning’s demeanor dropped, becoming as grey as she was before.

_See ya? Since when did I say bye like that? Or bye in general to my customers? I’m getting soft. At least my shift’s over now._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading. This was my short stab at trying out writing. I hope you enjoyed and please share ways for me to improve! Thanks to everyone who has been writing in this community for the past years— you all have kept me sane in the past months of quarantine. I'm just a *little bit* (6+ years or so) late to the party I guess. I can't guarantee anything, but I hope to contribute more in the future.


	2. The Transfer

Hope was never much of a coffee enthusiast growing up. He enjoyed the atmosphere of coffee shops—the aesthetic of studying within a cafe’s ambience—but the strong, bitter taste of coffee never pleased him.

_But, this latte is something different, isn’t it?_

Hope glanced again at the latte he was holding: _it was different_. The coffee’s flavor didn’t bite his taste buds, instead he felt calm and comforted by the subtle sweetness gently mixed in. 

_Was it because I’m an expert at adding the perfect amount of sugar into coffee? Or was it because of that barista?_

She had so easily enthralled him. He remembered taking a glance at her name tag. _“ Lightning.”_ It was interesting to say the least, and he couldn’t help but feel curious about its origin.

Trivial thoughts continued to linger in the back of his mind as he continued to explore campus. At least now that he had a drink in his hand, if that immature gang of boys from before were to push him into any shop, he would be armed. 

But, to be completely honest, Hope was no longer angered by the fact that he was pushed into Sunleth Waterscape. If not for that push, he wouldn’t have tasted this different side of coffee, and more importantly, he wouldn’t have been able to see her. He might actually have to thank that rowdy bunch later.

_I think they called themselves NORA? Hm... a little too enthusiastic for me._

A transfer student to the humble University of Cocoon, Bodhum, one part of him felt proud about his decision to move (though some would call it a fall from grace), but another part of him felt misplaced. Coming from the prestigious city of Palumpolum, he felt fake. 

_Do I even belong here?_ _  
  
_

Growing up, Hope was an outstanding student. He was always top of his class. He was well-known (thanks to his father), but not exactly popular at his high school and previous college. His social life was a bit dreary. Though, he really didn’t mind. The friends he had were good enough for him. 

But good enough never cut it for Hope’s father. He believed his friends were less “successful.” They went to lesser known colleges, but pursued the majors of their dreams— Hope’s old friend Elida was a rising music major. Everything was already methodically planned for Hope and his future. Hope hated it. _What’s the point of being a “genius” if you despise what you do? Am I even that smart? Or did I just happen to have too much privilege?_ He spent the last two years at Cocoon’s most desired university in Palumpolum, the capital of commerce— but he felt unsatisfied. Unsatisfied as a forced economics major who hated finance. Physics and his other desired physical scientific research fields weren't viable in his father’s eyes. The modern world, especially their Sanctum government, seemed to only care for military power or money. Hope was expected to pick up his father’s position and legacy in the Sanctum. Much to the disappointment of his father, he ran away from it.  
  


After much introspection, Hope awoke from his thinking state and realized where he was and what he was doing— walking to class. He looked at his phone and checked the time.

_Ten minutes. I better hurry up or I’ll be late on my first day. What room was it again? Let’s see… Steppe Hall. To my left, then straight ahead._

He opened the door almost trembling, whether it was excitement or fear, no one would know, not even himself. He reminded himself that no one here would know him. The lecture hall was massive (but still not as large as the halls back in Palumpolum), and there were at least ninety students already seated, not to mention the constant inflow of students next to him. He quickly picked a seat not too far in the front or back.

“Hey, nice to meet ya, I’m Alyssa,” greeted the blonde girl already sitting beside Hope’s seat.

“Hey! I’m Hope, it’s nice to meet you too.”

“Ah, I love Professor Rygdea. It’s already our third year with him as our professor, I can’t believe how lucky all us physics majors are.”

_Oh, she thinks I’ve been here for the past two years._

“Haha that sounds nice, unfortunately I can’t say I relate— I’m a transfer student,”

“Ohhh, no wonder I’ve never seen you around. Most of everyone here already knows each other, but there’s a few hermits here and there.” Alyssa smirked and glanced back toward a few students in the far back.

“Mhm. I can imagine. I’ll try my best not to be stuck in my room.”

“I’ll keep you to it. Let’s exchange numbers.”

Willingly, Hope gave his phone to Alyssa. Seeing her type her number into his phone, Hope realized he made his first friend here. He still felt slightly out of place, but he was finally feeling a hint of community. 

“And done!” Alyssa commented as she returned Hope’s phone. “Just in time before class starts.” 

_Let’s see how my first lecture goes. I’m not gonna lie, these desks are pretty comfortable, if I just lay back…no... I can’t fall asleep on my first day._

Class went by in a flash. Maybe just for him. It was nothing but introductions and a syllabus. No actual study or research. He was almost disappointed, but who could he blame? This was the first day and they needed to cover the basics. Sometimes he was just a little too eager to learn.  
  


He left the room and walked to his next class. Fifteen minutes later, he arrived at his next (dreaded) department. He was taking an upper division economics course; definitely not what he wanted. He was gifted at economics and technically already learned the course material. But this was part of his deal with his father— he could only pursue research if he could complete a double major. It wasn’t surprising to him that the class had almost no overlap of students from the previous class. Physics and economics together was definitely not popular. 

Unlike his previous class however, the girl next to him wasn’t so friendly. Not a single hey or hi, and she barely even acknowledged his own greeting.

_Yikes. Looks like not everyone here is rainbows and sunshine. I got lucky earlier. But now let’s see if I can really stay awake this time._

Another class, another syllabus. Professor Dysley was strange in Hope’s opinion, but nonetheless a smart man. Hope was done for the day and grabbed his bag. In the corner of his eye, he noticed a group of powerful looking students. _Are they wearing uniforms?_ They were not only physically powerful, but also socially respected and blatantly wealthy. 

_The cool kid clique, it never leaves does it? Don’t make trouble with them and I should be fine._

As they left, he realized none of them had taken the seat in the middle of their group.

_How odd… maybe a friend of theirs was absent? But it’s college, seats are open… I’m thinking too much again.  
  
_

Hope proceeded to leave the lecture hall and decided to text Alyssa. 

“hey! it’s Hope, where are you headed? do you wanna meet up?”

“sure, where are you right now?”

“right outside the econ department. I wait for you?”

“alright omw”

Hope sat down on a nearby bench and sighed. His first day was exciting, but also a little bland. The biggest mystery in his head now was that particular group. He had some suspicions about who they were, but he wasn’t certain.

_Speak of the devil._

Hope watched as that same party of four walked by. This time he could feel their atmosphere of arrogance from a mile away. It was like everyone else was below them, they didn’t look at anyone but themselves. His head was boiling, but he still wanted to avoid trouble. He began to think of every issue possible until someone kindly pushed him out of his trance.

“Hey. Ya miss me?” Alyssa cheerfully greeted Hope. 

“Hi! What’s with the group of students that just passed by?.”

“You must be talking about the Sanctum Scholars.”

“Sanctum? What?”

Hope winced at the mention of that name.

“Honey— it’s the most prestigious scholarship program in the entire school. These people are both soldiers and business majors.”

“Oh, really?” Hope feigned ignorance.

“Yeah, they all came in high and mighty, and have always been acting like they are better than the rest of us.”

“What a pain. Anyways, let’s just forget this and get some lunch.”

“Great. I’ll take you to my favorite joint on campus.”

The two walked together, joining the masses of moving students. Hope may have suggested forgetting the topic himself, but one thing kept itching at him.  
  


_What’s with that empty seat?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all enjoyed! Don't hesitate to leave your thoughts and feedback in the comments! Thanks again for reading.


	3. Her Demons

_Empty. Tired. Just give me a break. Leave me alone._

Lightning almost never showed up to her classes— and it was catching up to her in the form of university emails. Sitting on her bed, she opened a warning: she was losing her full time student status. Apparently, turning in assignments alone wasn’t enough; the school needed her to actively participate in person. She silently cursed to herself.

_Dammit. I just want to be left alone. Why do they even care so much about me being there?_

Her apartment was a mess. Scarred by past demons and vices, she didn’t bother cleaning up. There wouldn’t be anyone but herself coming, and she herself barely came anyways. Evidence of a past roommate was long gone. She shut her laptop and pulled out her phone.

_Calendar… I have a shift tomorrow._

Lightning cracked a slight smile. She remembered the incident two days ago: that one peculiar boy who stumbled in. He was nothing like she had seen before. _I wonder if I’ll see him again… though I don’t think I’ll have another shift around that same time._ Her phone buzzed and a notification popped up. “Incoming call— Serah”

“Hi Lightning!”

“Serah, how was it?”

“The check up went well. The doctor said my test results seem good. It looks like I’m getting healthier!”

“I’m very glad to hear that. Is everything okay?”

“Yes, I’m completely fine. It’s just, they are asking about the bills again...”

“Don’t worry about it Serah. I’ll have it taken care of.”

“You don’t have to keep doing this, Claire. I could figure something out. Snow said he could...” But before she could finish her sentence, Lightning cut her off with her own barrage of comments.

“Do not mention him again. Or say that name again. I’m perfectly capable of supporting you myself.” There was a hint of anger laced within her words, but it quickly dissipated.

“Okay, I hope to see you soon. Thanks again.” The call ended and Lightning put her phone down.

_At least she never changes. I’m glad.  
  
_

Lightning’s face was always brighter when she talked to Serah. Her sister’s joy was her own joy. She wished nothing but the best for her. Though, the last sentence she told her was somewhat of a half lie. Her current financial situation was not pretty. Apartment bills, tuition, food, hospital bills, general money for Serah, it all adds up. And a coffee shop that pays slightly more than minimum wage wasn’t exactly the most lucrative job. But she could and would never fail her sister.

Their parents passed away years ago. First their father when they were young, then their mother in the beginning of their teenage life, leaving Lightning alone to care for her sister. She gave up her own livelihood and childhood for her sister. She left behind both her name and past— all for Serah’s sake.

Now Serah was sick and Lightning was struggling.

_This is my punishment. I’ve managed a year, what’s one more anyways?_

Lightning glanced at the clock. 8:30 PM. Walking into her kitchen, avoiding the clutter everywhere, she grabbed a cup of instant noodles, one of the few staple foods in her _highly nutritious_ diet. After ripping the top off, she then picked up her blue pitcher of water and filled the plastic container. She placed it into the microwave and pressed the “4” button.

 _Typical broke college student life; Serah would kill me if she saw how I’m living. Nothing’s cheaper than top ramen though._ _  
  
_

It wasn’t always like this.

_Two years ago_ _  
  
_

“Hey Lightning. You wanna try that new steak restaurant this weekend? Vanille is coming.” With a slight accent, a dark-haired woman invited Lightning.

“I would love to, but my wallet’s not exactly happy with me. We’ve been going out pretty often.” Lightning retorted with some solid logic.

“Hey girl, you gotta loosen up and live a little. But don’t worry, I’ve got you covered.”

“Are you sure? We really don’t have to. I can figure something out on my own.”

“No way am I letting you eat dorm hall food again. Especially on a weekend. Especially this weekend. Our midterm presentation went smoothly thanks to you! Just let me treat you.” The dark-haired girl insisted.

“Fine fine, I’ll go, I’ll go. Thanks again though.”

“Don’t sweat it. Anything for a friend.”

Lightning and her roommate (and best friend) Fang were sitting in the Sunleth Waterscape after class. It was their go to Thursday routine. Lightning wasn’t exactly a coffee person, but they mainly would go because Fang always wanted to see a certain barista there. The two hit it off when they first met. As first years, they had a bright future ahead of them. They were part of the prestigious Sanctum Scholars program. Both of them were on track to become the brightest soldiers; both with someone they wanted to protect.

Fang inspired Lightning with her ideals of dedication. Being a foreign student from Gran Pulse, she wasn’t too close with that many people. But with the people that she was close to, she would have fought the world for them. Vanille especially, Fang would have done anything to protect Vanille. Those two were inseparable, and it reflected a similar bond that Lightning had with Serah. Yet Fang didn’t seem to fit in with the other Sanctum Scholars besides Lightning.  
  


As they left the cafe, the two could see four other Sanctum Scholars in the distance. There was recognition in Lightning’s eyes, but there was a hint of fear in Fang’s eyes when she saw those four walk closer.

“Hey Lightning. Come along with us girl, we are dying to tell you about the next rave.” A blonde girl gestured at Lightning.

“Yeah, come on over here.” A guy next to her with dark silver hair added on to the request. 

“You wouldn’t want to leave us hanging, would you?” A raven-haired guy looked over at Lightning.

“Who’s that new girl around you?” A guy with purple hair asked another question.

“I haven’t seen her around, is she one of us? She looks… exotic.” The same blonde girl spoke with a condescending tone.

Fang was uncomfortable. Silently nodding to one another, Lightning and Fang parted ways.

“Oh, she’s just another classmate. Don’t worry about her.”

Lightning walked straight into their circle, entering the center of the group as they walked away together. She looked back for a second, and saw Fang smile.

That smile was the first lie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here's another chapter! Thanks again for reading, and please leave your thoughts on it in the comments! :) Til next time!


	4. Want

Hope continued to visit the Sunleth Waterscape after his first interaction with Lightning on Wednesday. He was happy with this first coffee shop he set foot in (whether purposeful or not) and didn’t feel any need to visit any others. Maybe it was fate—luck—given Hope’s poor perspective on coffee and habitual overthinking.

Having options to choose from and exploring their different possibilities was a privilege he rarely had. Seen as a curse due to his history with set career paths and expectations, another lens could call it blessing as he never had to pay the price that comes with freedom. 

_Choice_. Having too many options created stress; faced with the need to find the optimal coffee shop by taste, price, and atmosphere. And walking into a new coffee shop was a risk. 

_Would the coffee taste good? Or would it be bitter as usual? Would the coffee cost an unreasonable amount? Would the price of the drink even be worth it? What about the other people who would walk in and out of the coffee shop? The people who work there and visit, are they nice, understanding, respectful?_ Hope’s mind would have gone berserk if he had to choose. Maybe that’s why he wasn’t a coffee enthusiast in the first place...  
  


But it was here that he could sit in his corner, enjoy a quick drink, finish his work and assignments efficiently, and leave the coffee shop feeling accomplished— which was rare. Finding the Sunleth Waterscape was like finding treasure for Hope and he was satisfied with that treasure: except for one thing.

He kept looking for that pink-haired barista. Constantly coming to the Sunleth Waterscape for the next few days of the week, Hope failed to see Lightning again. He was a little disappointed, and somewhat worried.

_Was Lightning okay? Where did she go? Was this not her shift? Did she stop working at the Sunleth Waterscape… Was she fired?_

He swore he wasn’t trying to stalk her, but he remembered that Lightning worked in the morning on Wednesday. _Though, she didn’t work during the mornings of Thursday and Friday._ On Saturday, Hope didn’t come to the Sunleth Waterscape, otherwise his new roommate Noel would have believed him to have some kind of crazy caffeine addiction with his non-stop visits. But today was Sunday and Hope still hadn’t seen Lightning for the past few hours that he had been there.  
  


Looking at the corner of his laptop’s screen, Hope read the time: 2:45 PM. A new sense of courage surrounded him as he stood up and walked closer to the counter toward the girl who was currently on shift. She had red hair and was shorter than Lightning; a completely different vibe coming off of her. Her name tag read “Vanille.”

“I know this is a weird question, but I was wondering, do you know if Lightning still works here?”

“Lightning? Why wouldn’t she be? She’s been here practically everyday to close. Plus, she should be here soon to take over my shift. She comes in at three and works till close today.”

“Ah okay, thanks for letting me know.” 

“Yeah! No worries. Are you her—” Vanille giggled as she spoke, causing Hope to blush and instantly cut her off.

“No, no, no, it’s not like that. I’m actually new here, but she served a latte on my first day at Bodhum and usually I don’t like coffee, but it was really good.”

“I see. I guess I’ll have to say thanks to her for making you a returning customer.”

“Haha, I also like the ambience of this coffee shop. It’s rare to find a place like this.”

“I’ll be sure to tell that to my boss. The Sunleth Waterscape has been my haven for the past three years that I’ve been in Bodhum. It's undergone some renovations, but the thought behind it all has been the same since. It’s home.”

“Wow, that’s some amazing history to hear.” Hope’s eyes glistened with curiosity. It was then that Hope also noticed her slight accent.  
  


They continued to chat, but mid-conversation, the door’s chimes began to ring again. Instinctively, Hope turned my head although he was already becoming more accustomed to that sound. Seeing a girl with familiar aqua blue eyes walk closer and closer, he hastily turned his head back to Vanille, who he would count as his second acquaintance in Bodhum after their brief get-to-know-each-other conversation. 

“Vanille, for some reason today, you look like you aren’t super eager to just dash out of the cafe after your shift.” Lightning greeted Vanille with a hint of sarcasm. 

“Aww, you make it sound like I don’t like working here, and that’s not really helping with my first conversation with Hope right here.”

“Am I wrong though?”

“Yes. I do enjoy being here, actually. I just also enjoy not working just as much, so yes you are wrong. There’s a difference.”

“Whatever makes you feel better,” Lightning muttered before turning to Hope. “You should know that she’s lying.”

“Do not believe her. You’re my friend now Hope, trust me instead.” 

Hope enjoyed the sight in front of him and cracked a large grin. In the past with his robotic life, he often forgot to smile and sometimes would actually believe that he shouldn’t feel the happiness that he rarely felt. All he had known and believed was that happiness wasn’t something he deserved until he succeeded, prospered, and achieved something great; something he needed to prove worthy of it. 

Yet those thoughts didn’t crowd his mind while he was with Vanille and Lightning. 

“I don’t know the full story here, so I’ll just stay back for now,” Hope joked along. 

“Better than agreeing with Lightning, so I’ll accept that for now,” Vanille spoke playfully, smiling with Hope. “Not to lessen my argument, but I actually do have to go today. There’s some important work I have to do. Bye you two!” Vanille skipped away as she left, happily thinking about the _lack of work_ she actually had to do.  
  


“Well, did you want something to drink?”

“Hmm, Vanille did serve me a latte earlier when I came around noon, so I’m probably good for now. Thanks for asking, though.”

“So you like Vanille’s drinks more than mine huh?” Lightning teased Hope a little.

“That’s no—not to say I wouldn’t want something from you j..just because it’s you. Actually it’s the complete opposite.” Hope stumbled and stuttered on his words. He could barely look her in the eyes, and his blush was too obvious.

_It’s not like I’ve been looking for her for the past week or anything..._

Hope and Lightning’s conversation was interrupted and came to an end as the cafe’s chimes began to ring again with a new influx of customers. Knowing Lightning would be busy with her work, Hope gave her a nod and went back to his corner, returning to his own work. 

He wasn’t completely positive with his hypothesis, but after his short exchanges with Lightning, he felt a familiar energy from Lightning. Hope couldn’t describe it in words, but he felt that he could relate to Lightning emotionally in some way. 

He knew that he was colliding with the shield Lightning set up for herself, instead of Lightning herself. Hope felt the need to break down her walls and get closer. She was someone he barely met, someone he didn’t even know, but she was the person he wanted to save.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And another! The next few updates may not come as quick as they have been, I gotta catch up on writing. Thanks for sticking around and reading, and please leave your thoughts below! :) Til next time!


	5. Fear

_6:50. Time to close. Nice and empty too, I can just— oh, Hope is still here?_

Lightning began her nightly routine and began shutting down each machine and wiping every counter. After a year of closing, her every motion and action was natural, as expected anyways. Within five minutes, she had already finished cleaning the front of the house: it was now just the dining section with the chairs to be put up left. As she swept the floor and stacked chairs, she saw Hope in his corner. Earbuds in, notebook out, he seemed to be intensely working— or was he just asleep? _That’s kind of cute_. Lightning tapped his shoulder and he instantly shot up.

“Aah! I’m so sorry. I guess I just dozed off a bit. I’ll be out of here in just a second!” Hope panicked as he awoke.

“No worries at all. You’re a customer and I can’t just kick you out, that would be rude of me.” Hope’s panic washed away and he let out a big sigh. He still wasn’t quite awake.

“Aren’t I your friend too?" Hope had a sudden wave of courage to tease her. "I think me being your friend is the main reason you shouldn’t be rude.” It was mainly from his half conscious state.

“Hmm. Sure. I’m almost finished anyways, so feel free to stay.” His comment made Lightning happy, but she didn’t show it. She went back to closing.

 _He considers me his friend… have I ever let anyone stay past close?_ _  
  
_

Another five minutes passed and Lightning finished closing. The cafe was spotless (it is what you would expect from someone who has done the same thing nearly everyday for a year). Taking out her phone, Lightning clocked out from work. She grabbed the keys and headed towards the exit.

“Hey, I finished closing. Time for us to head out.” Lightning nodded her head toward the door.

“Okay, thanks again for letting me stay.” Hope collected his things and went over to her.

“No worries, you seemed tired and you looked like you had just finished a ton of work. What class were you working on?” The two stopped at the door.

“Just some physics and economics. The professors in both departments just so happened to schedule their first large tests on the same day.” Hope rolled his eyes as he explained.

“What a pain. But hey, keep up the hard work. You’ll turn out just fine.”

“So what major are you, Lightning? I assume you also go to college here, right?” Hope was curious.

“Correct. I’m an economics major. I’m a third year.”

“Awesome! We are in the same year and same major, kind of. I have my weird double major with physics, but that doesn’t change the fact we are both econ majors. We should study together!” Hope’s eyes were like those of a puppy dog.

_I can’t be outright rude… but I can’t refuse that look, can I?_

“Hmm, maybe. I’ve got a lot of work and I generally work alone, but I’ll think about it. If you really want to, maybe.”

“Yay! Let’s exchange numbers, Lightning.” Hope was full of glee.

“Sure thing. And just call me Light. It’s a mouthful to keep hearing you say my name.”

She swore she saw Hope blush a little.

_Why did I let him call me Light? I really am getting soft._

And so Lightning and Hope exchanged their contact info and walked out of the cafe; twenty minutes later than Lightning’s normal time. The boy had gone further than most, being able to break her walls down far enough to almost agree to meet up, let alone get her number. Not that Hope knew anything of this of course. They walked down the street together and parted at the nearest intersection. For the first time in a while. Lightning wasn’t alone.

_I hope that wasn’t a mistake giving him my number._

9 PM. Lightning walked into her apartment. She threw off her jacket and fell right onto her couch. She was exhausted. She pulled out her phone and instantly saw a barrage of notifications. The bulk of them were from a certain new contact… but there was one email, from the school.

_Damn. I’ll actually have to go to class tomorrow. Looks like they’ll really drop me if I don’t show up to the first tests of the semester._

Her hand trembled at the thought, but she ignored it. Lightning sat upright and grabbed her laptop from the table across from her.

_Might as well review some concepts. What class is this? Upper div economics? Oh, now it makes sense why Hope was working so hard._

But before she began, Lightning opened her messages. It was Hope: first with a “hello! This is Hope” followed by a classic thank you note, and then a complaint about school with the “T_T” emoji. Lightning chuckled to herself. A very rare sight to see. She replied swiftly and then started to work. She wasn’t about to make a fool of herself for a class she already didn’t even bother to show up to.

Lightning turned on her phone, blue light flashing into her face in the poorly lit room. 12 AM. She’d studied enough. It was time for some sleep. Putting away her work, she crashed on the couch. She would have to fight some old demons tomorrow, but she didn’t want to think about it now. She just wanted to forget. Maybe she was actually afraid of tomorrow.

The sun rose and it was time for Lightning to go. She steeled herself as she got ready and kept chanting the same words over and over. She couldn’t escape her fears now.

_It’s just one day. It’s just one day. It’s just one day._

Lightning took a deep breath as she exited her apartment. 

She made her way to campus. She felt as if she could already hear the voices. The people walking by. The looks and stares. It was beginning to encroach on her, trying to choke her. But Lightning kept walking.  
  


_Just one class, nothing more.._

Vision focused in one direction, Lightning beelined for the economics department. 

_Don’t even try looking for them._

Lightning took another deep breath as she entered the lecture hall.  
  


And there they were.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here's another! I hope you all enjoy. Thanks again for reading, and please leaves any thoughts and feedback in the comments! :D


	6. The Encounter

Tense. Total absence of calm. The air was still. Hope obliviously entered, not wanting to be late for his second big exam of the day. It was like nobody could breathe. He couldn’t help but wonder—  _ what is going on? _

And then he saw it. Her. Standing still. That look of fear. _ Her _ look of fear.

_ Light? _

His head was trying to comprehend the situation. Lightning was apparently in his class. And she was _scared._ _Why was she so scared? The room feels terrible._ He took another glance at her.

The fear in her eyes was gone now. Instead, it was like her eyes stared into the void, with the void staring back. It was a silent battle that could be felt all throughout: four pairs of eyes looked at Lightning intensely. Whispers could be heard from all around. Hope still failed to understand.

“Finally showing your face eh?” The first voice spoke with disdain.

“It’s about time you showed up… ex-soldier girl.” The second voice hissed and emphasized  _ ex. _

“I’m surprised you haven’t dropped out completely.” A third voice commented arrogantly.

“Can you even afford tuition, ice queen?” A fourth voice accusingly questioned her.

“Just look at how far our fearless  _ leader _ has gone...” The first voice spoke again.

It then clicked. She was the empty seat, the center piece. It was certainly unexpected to him of course. How could someone like her even associate with those stuck up brats?   
  


Hope’s body moved without his permission. He went straight over to Light, grabbed her hand, and pulled her away.

“What are you all doing? This is no way to be acting in class.” Hope tried his best to sound strong.

Fate was on Hope’s side, as the professor walked in and began class before the four could respond to him. Hope and Lightning sat as far away from them as they could. In the short time Hope’s been in Bodhum, he had come to know (and already despise) the owner’s of the four voices. The first voice belonged to a blonde girl named Jihl Nabaat. She seemed to act like the head of that group. The second voice belonged to a dark silver-haired guy named Yaag Rosch. The third voice belonged to the raven-haired Cid Raines. And the fourth voice with purple hair belonged to Caius Ballad. Like the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, they held no empathy or emotion. They lacked human decency. But they were the star Sanctum Scholars of the school, there wasn’t much anyone could do against them.

Hope put his hand on Lightning’s shoulder. “Light, you okay?”

“Yeah I’m fine. What’s wrong?”

“You looked like you were scared for your life earlier.”

_ Damn, he saw _ . Lightning couldn’t hide everything.

“I’m not going to ask now, but just ignore them. We’ve just got to take this test and then we can get out of here as soon as possible. Sound okay?” Hope sounded as caring as possible.

“Thanks, Hope.” Lightning muttered softly.

Only after what felt like an eternity to them, the test and class ended. Hope immediately grabbed Lightning and left the room, leaving no chance for those four to harass her again. His green eyes even looked possessive. It definitely wasn’t going to be last they saw of them, but it was a much needed temporary escape. Hope couldn’t think of anywhere to go, subsequently leading him to drag her back to the Sunleth Waterscape.

“You can let go of my hand now, Hope.” Hope instantly was jolted out of his primal state.

“Aah! I’m so sorry. I don’t know what came over me.” Hope’s hand left like a lightning bolt, his face blushing.

“I really do appreciate what you did though. I’m sorry you had to do and see that.” Lightning muttered this almost guiltily.

“There’s nothing to apologize for. But if you are ready now, can I—” Before he could finish, Lightning instantly cut him off.

“It was nothing. There is nothing. How about we get some drinks?” Lightning quickly changed the subject.

_ Light’s not ready to open up. I can’t push her.  _

“Sure thing. I’ll get some for the both of us, what did you want?” Hope followed Lightning’s change of subject.

“Get me a black coffee. Nothing in it. Medium. Thanks.”

“I’ll be right back then.”

Hope quickly fulfilled her request and his own order and came back. Lightning drank the raw coffee. Hope himself felt like he could taste the bitter bite. Her face remained stern, but her eyes softened from their lifeless void-like state. Hope let out a sigh and relaxed. They weren’t talking, but he was glad that his presence could calm her down.

Hope grabbed classwork from his bag and went to work. Lightning proceeded to do the same. Unknowingly, they were about to work on the same exact assignments. Just as Hope’s presence calmed Lightning, Lightning’s presence calmed Hope. He didn’t mind their silence at all. Hope was happy enough to just be around her. After a few awkward glances at one another, they realized their work was the same, and Hope suggested (while still stumbling on his words) that they share a textbook, for efficiency’s sake of course. She agreed. They continued to work like this for the next couple of hours, forgetting the flow of time in their mutual comfort.

Hope nearly dozed off multiple times like before, but a playful flick in the forehead from Lightning kept him awake. It was a third voice that would break them from their peaceful trance.

“Sorry to interrupt you two lovebirds, but I’ve got to close the shop tonight.” Vanille was on shift today.

“It’s not like that!” Hope and Lightning simultaneously retorted, blushing as they noticed their synchronization.

“But sorry for keeping you over shift, we’ll leave immediately.” Lightning added on.

Lightning grabbed their empty cups and walked over to the trash can near the entrance. As she did that, Hope packed his things away. It was then that Vanille whispered to him “Please take care of her.” She had a smile on her face with pleading eyes, but then quickly ran back to the counter and continued to close. Hope froze at first, but then smiled back at her.

_ I was already planning on it. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's another chapter for you all. I realize my chapters are a bit short, I'll work on it for future chapters hopefully. I hope you all enjoy! :)


	7. Routine

For the next few weeks that came by, Lightning did not return to campus. Her next appearance would be for their midterm. Recently, she had Hope helping her academically now. He would catch her up on everything she missed outside of class— as not everything that’s taught gets posted online. Lightning never asked for his help, but she was grateful anyways. She didn’t admit it, but it felt good to have support for once. Their silent comfort became routine. 

_And there he is again._ Lightning’s eyes moved to his usual corner. Today was Friday evening and she was finishing up her shift. _He follows me around like a dog, but I can’t say I really mind._ She smiled internally.

Hope finally figured out her schedule— their first meeting fooled him and his analytical brain. She always closed, but it just so happened that the day they met she was covering someone else’s shift. He now came to visit her every shift, which was about everyday except Saturday (his roommate Noel really did think he had a caffeine addiction now). He would always work (and more than often fall asleep while doing so), chat, and walk her out. And recently, as the season moved from summer to fall, the sun began setting much earlier, prompting Hope to walk her all the way back to her apartment.

That wasn’t the only change in their routine either: their silent comfort wasn’t so silent anymore. With him, she easily forgot about everything and slowly opened up. If she got Hope to start talking, he would _not stop_ talking. She found it amusing. Eventually, she was comfortable enough to voice her own complaints about school and customers as well.

 _I should tell him soon. It’s been long enough._ Lightning thought to herself as she began to take off her barista apron. She had been completely silent about that incident, almost acting like it never happened. She didn’t want to appear weak or incapable, but it was really tough. _I can’t hide forever._

“Hey Hope. I’m finished.” Lightning moved over to the silver-haired boy. He was getting better at not falling asleep, but that’s not to say he was perfect. She flicked his forehead once again.

“Hey Light.” Hope muttered as he was pushed out of his semi-conscious state. This time he really wasn’t asleep… just on the verge of it. He began packing his bag. “Professor Dysley was talking about the midterm today. It’ll be next Wednesday, and it’s focusing on linear regression.”

“Fancy words for some topic I’m probably not going to use. So chapter twelve, excluding the review section I assume?”

“He’s actually incorporating the review this time. The midterm is comprehensive anyways.”

“Wow. I’m really excited.” The sarcasm in Lightning’s voice was astronomical. 

They continued their conversation in this light-hearted manner until Lightning decided it was time.

“Hey so, did those four ever give you any trouble since then?” Lightning asked with a soft tone.

“No, not at all. Is something wrong?” Hope’s green eyes flashed with concern, yet they held a hint of fear.

“Are you sure? You can be completely honest.” Lightning questioned once more.

_It’s suspicious that they haven’t done anything yet..._

“Yeah. They haven’t done anything. I would never lie to you. I promise I’m fine.” Hope’s words were as good as gold. “But, are you okay? I never asked much because I knew you weren’t comfortable.”

“If I’m going to be honest, I’m still not comfortable. But I don't think I’ll ever be. So I’ll start from the beginning. I used to be—” Lightning was cut off by the sound of a phone ringing.

“Light, I’m so sorry. But I have to take this, I’ll be right back.” Hope was angry that his father had to call now out of all times, but if he didn’t pick up, he knew there would be consequences waiting.

Light nodded her head in understanding and watched as he stepped out of the cafe. She let her breath go. Her hand was shaking ever so slightly.

_Of all times. When I finally get the courage, life just has to say no. It really isn’t his fault though, but I can’t help but feel irritated anyways. Agh._

Lightning started pacing back and forth. The sun had already set, and it was getting dark fast. Patience was a virtue, but a virtue that she often lacked.  
  


The bells chimed and Hope was back inside. His face wasn’t too happy either.

“Let’s go. It’s getting late, I shouldn’t keep you here for so long.” Hope gestured back outside and pushed the door once again.

_There goes my chance to tell him now._

“So, about what I was talking about earlier…” Lightning muttered to Hope as she followed him out.

“You really don’t have to push yourself now. It’s late and I already ruined the moment enough.” Hope’s voice was regretful.

_Agh. I wish he knew how hard it was in the first place for me to even try to talk about this. His concern really is sweet, but not what I need right now... maybe it is too early._

“Light, you’re spacing out. Let me just walk you home. You don’t have to worry about a thing.” Hope’s green eyes were filled with care.

“Fine. But I promise to tell you soon. I would like to meet up tomorrow, but I’m actually busy.” Lightning sighed.

“Again, don’t force yourself. And that works out perfectly. Alyssa wanted to spend the day with me anyways.”

“Alyssa? Who is she?” Lightning’s voice raised some concern, with a hint of her own possessiveness.

“Ah don’t worry, she’s just one of the first few friends I made on campus. She’s a physics major just like me.” Hope was completely honest.

“Hmm. Okay. I hope you have fun.” Lightning wasn’t exactly truthful in her statement. The two arrived at her apartment.

_I don’t know why I’m so irritated again, and it’s not about those four either..._

“Well, I unfortunately must let you go now. I’ve got to get back to my place. I’ll see you soon, Light.” Hope gave her a smile.

“Yeah. See you soon, Hope.” Lightning waved goodbye as he left.

Lightning was unable to differentiate concern and jealousy within her mind.

 _I’ve got a bad feeling about Alyssa._ _I’m sure of it._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! I hope you all enjoyed once again. Be sure to share your thoughts and feedback in the comments. Til next time! :)


	8. Forced

Hope tried to look happy, but his mind was far from it.

_Why did my father have to call me then, of all times?! Light finally was going to open up. The progress we had… all ruined because my father was worried about my reputation. Tch. Is she mad at me now? Will she ever tell me? Agh._

“Hello? Cocoon to Hope. You’ve been spacing out again.” Alyssa was more than slightly annoyed at his behavior. The two were sitting in their school’s library. It was Saturday and they were supposed to be hanging out and studying, although it was Alyssa who was doing the bulk of the talking.

It was their own common ritual of some sort. They worked together really well, so it only made sense for them to work on the physics assignments together. It wasn't every Saturday (though originally it started as that), but it was often enough. Normally, Hope was talkative and just as interested in the conversation. Alyssa enjoyed their old conversations— she even had a slight crush on the boy. She was glad she met him first. The subject of his conversation changed in recent times. If he did talk, it would be about _her._ Alyssa was bitter about this change.

“Sorry about that. I’ve just got a lot on my mind.” Hope’s face was still full of concern.

“You’ve been saying that every time we meet. On top of that, we haven’t been meeting up as often as before. You’re always too busy with that coffee shop of yours apparently.” Alyssa’s words had venom laced in them. She didn’t think he was pulling his weight in their friendship.

“Hey. I really don’t want and or need this right now. There’s just too much going on. I’m sorry.” Hope retorted with his own frustration. He gave no detail to the situation plaguing his mind. Hope truly did give Alyssa much less attention and spent less and less time with her, but they were trying to fix that by hanging out right now. It wasn’t working.

“Like what? Is it about your precious pink-haired barista you keep talking about? You _always_ talk about her.” Alyssa’s eyes were full of jealousy, but Hope was too dense and too engrossed within himself to see. “ You know, I heard a rumor about her actually being a delinquent student.” 

“You don’t know anything! Those rumors aren’t true at all!” Hope became extremely defensive. It was enough evidence for Alyssa.

“Ah, so it is her. I thought so. All these weeks you’ve been ignoring me, talking about her, and even going as far as spending almost every day with her from what I can tell. Tch. We used to be so much closer.” Her tone changed. “You don’t even know her. That wasn’t the only thing I’ve heard either. Do you even know what she’s done?” She shut her textbook and moved it aside.

“I don’t, and I don’t care. It doesn’t matter to me.”

“She killed her roommate.” Alyssa dropped a bomb.

“What?” Hope froze.

“You heard me. She killed her roommate.” She got out of her chair.

“No. I don’t believe you.” Hope’s words were weakening, but his resolve stood firm.

“Why are you so protective of someone you don’t even know? What, are you in love with her or something? If you want someone to love, look right in front of you! I’ve been here this whole time dammit.” Alyssa made her move. She took advantage of Hope’s momentarily shocked state. She tackled him, pushing him down below her.

Alyssa was on top of Hope. His chair was on its side. Her hands reached toward areas on themselves that were normally forbidden to strangers. _What is she trying to do? No way. She can’t._ In an instant, Hope pushed her off and subsequently flipped their situation. He was stronger than he looked. He heard a soft click noise, but that was the least of his concern. He stood up and gave her a stare of death.

_I can’t believe it. She’s crazy. I can’t deal with this now._

“Don’t ever touch me again. Leave.” There was a poisonous bite in Hope’s words.

“Tch. Enjoy your time with that killer. You missed out with me.” Alyssa took her things and left.  
  


On her way out, she grabbed a small camera attached to a bookshelf. She took out her phone and dialed a number.

“I’ve handled Estheim. Everything’s ready. Tch, he had the gall to reject me.” Alyssa’s unhappy state was voiced through her last few words.

“Nicely done. We have what we need.” The unknown voice was cold and calculating.

She ended the call and left the room.

Hope was furious. He knew Alyssa was on the touchier side, but he didn’t expect this at all. In all the weeks he had known her, he thought their friendship would prevail. _Apparently not._ She just betrayed his friendship and toyed with his obvious concern for Lightning. Hope didn’t trust a single word about those rumors. He was shocked because the rumors existed— he couldn’t imagine how tough it was for Lightning to live with these false accusations always circling around. _Why does everyone hate her? I shouldn’t have met up with Alyssa in the first place. Maybe I could have been with Light right now. I wonder if she’s doing okay._  
  


Hope gathered his belongings and left the library. He was headed straight for his dorm room today. His mind was too clouded with anger and worries. To make his day worse, a figure stalked behind him. Too caught up in his emotions, Hope didn’t notice. He grumbled and made his way back to the residence halls.

He arrived after only eight minutes. As he opened the door to the lobby, he felt a hand on his shoulder. Someone whispered into his ear.

“You can’t hide from us, Estheim.” Hope froze again. “I’m sure ex-soldier girl would like to know all about you.” He immediately turned back, only to see someone with dark silver hair walking away in a uniform all too familiar.

_It’s one of them. How did they even know?_

He didn't bother running after him. He steeled himself as he walked to his room, full of fear, anger, and concern. He slid his card into his door and walked right in.

“Coffee boy have a rough day?” Noel asked from his side of the room. He could see the distress written all over his roommates face.

“Not exactly the brightest day.” Hope huffed in response.

“I bet it’s about that pink-haired barista you always go see and talk about. What, is it love troubles?” Noel was completely ignorant to Hope’s situation in his teasing.

“Haha, it’s really nothing man.” Hope tried his best to end the topic.

_I do appreciate his attempt at conversation, I really do. It’s just really not the right time._

“Well, I’ve got one word of advice for you— be honest.” Hope chuckled when he heard that. “No, I’m really serious. Nothing beats pure honesty and I’m sure whatever’s going on can be solved if you just talk it out.” 

“Hmm. You know, that actually makes a lot of sense. Thanks, Noel. I guess I really needed that.” Hope realized his words had merit.

“Dude, anytime. I’m the master of talking to girls anyways.” He gave Hope a large grin. Hope laughed in response.

The harmless conversation from Noel ended up calming down Hope’s overworked mind. He had been through too many crazy situations today, and he needed this relief. He didn’t realize at the time how powerful and true Noel’s advice was going to be.

But he did know one thing— he needed to talk to Lightning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Labor day weekend to anyone in the U.S. I hope you get your long weekend! Thanks for reading again, and leave your thoughts and feedback in the comments! :)


	9. Sickness

Lightning couldn’t help but feel worried. She was about to spend her Saturday with Serah in the hospital, but she couldn’t let go of that bad feeling she had yesterday. _Hope._ He’s all that’s been on her mind. For once, she was worried about someone other than Serah. But she knew she needed to put those thoughts to rest: it was time to see Serah. She sent a text over letting her know she would be on her way. She left her apartment and made her way to the hospital.

_It’s strange how Serah hasn’t responded yet. She always responds instantly. Something must be up._

Bodhum wasn’t an extremely large or urban city because of its seaside location. Most people either used velocycles or walked to get around. Lightning was of the latter population and walked— it was the more cost effective option anyways. She was about halfway there when she got a phone call.

“Serah?” Lightning answered the phone.

“Hey sis.” A masculine voice replied instead, with a cautious tone.

“I told you not to call me that. What’s going on?” Lightning was always irritated by Snow’s choice of words, but she was more worried about the current situation.

“It’s Serah. You need to come now. She’s being transferred to the ICU.” Snow’s normally strong voice was cracking.

“WHAT? And no one thought to tell me earlier?! Agh. I’m already on my way. You better take care of her.” Lightning’s voice was harsh and unfiltered.

“Serah didn’t want you to worr—” Lightning cut him off by ending the call.

_I can’t believe them. Tch. My punishment never ends._

Lightning began to run. She truly wanted to run away, leave it all behind and be free. But she was chained down. She didn’t believe she would ever be able to atone for her sins. This was her eternal punishment. Her breathing became heavy, and her feet worked harder. Her emotions wanted control, but she did not waver. She only ran harder. Despite the weight on her shoulders, she wasn’t going to fail Serah. She could _never_ fail her.

_Don’t die on me, Serah. Not now.  
  
_

Lightning arrived and entered the hospital. The white walls and bright lights conflicted with the somber feelings within. Walking to the counter, the attendant had already recognized her. She’d been here every week for the past year. The kind lady gave her a room number and pointed in a certain direction. Lightning was stuck in her mind. _Serah was supposed to be getting better, not worse._ Walking down the halls, she couldn’t help but think about her past— and why it all went to hell. 

_Two years ago_   
  


Fang and Lightning had just finished their first set of finals, and both of them were feeling pretty good about it. After many failed attempts, it was today that Lightning finally convinced Fang to follow her to one of the parties that Jihl hosted. Lightning had been spending a lot more time with the four other Sanctum Scholars, even choosing to complete group projects with them. At the time, she didn’t think they were bad people. They were smart and disciplined, having their own strict ideals. They just so _also_ happened to like to let loose once in a while, and who was she to judge? She thought it would be a great idea to push Fang out of her comfort zone and try to befriend them. The two headed to the beach to join them; they were just going to hang around all together and bask in the evening air. Nothing wrong could come out of that. A little bit of alcohol didn’t hurt now, did it?

“Alright, we’re here.” Lightning took in the seaside air as she looked around. _There they are._ She moved toward the group. “You coming?” Lightning looked over at Fang.

Fang gave her a big smile and nodded. It was the second lie.

It seemed that Jihl decided to invite a lot more people than they anticipated, but Lightning didn’t mind. Even in a crowd, that gang of four was easily found. The music was loud, drinks were out— anyone could be easily lost in this atmosphere. It was what students wanted after a hard term of studying, what they felt they deserved. Lightning didn’t disagree. She wanted an escape from the stress of the school and all the responsibilities she had.

In the beginning, Fang was right by Lightning. As the night went on and more drinks were poured, it was much harder for her to keep up with Lightning. She kept hearing whispers wherever she went; always the same words of “exotic” or “foreign.” It was terrible, but she was bearing with it for Lightning. In fact, it was the entire reason she refused to follow Lightning all those times before, and why she was so afraid of people like them. She left Gran Pulse for a “better” life, but she wasn’t ready for this alienation. Everywhere she went, on campus or off campus, people would talk.

It’s why she feared the four: Jihl, Yaag, Cid, and Caius. Her first day on campus, she happened to pass by three of them talking. She wasn’t exactly sure if it was Caius or Cid missing that day, but she knew Yaag and Jihl were there for sure. What they said wasn’t plain gossip—they directly defiled the Pulsian people with their words. They were expressing their wishes for the future, and it was clear they wanted to “cleanse the Pulsian scum.” Fang was disgusted. These were the future leaders of Cocoon. And as she left, she swore she heard one of them even dare to say “I wouldn’t mind keeping one for myself. I bet they sound hot with their foreign accents.”

But she promised Lightning she finally would follow her, and she wasn’t about to ruin her night by asking to leave. She knew Lightning was different from them, and she couldn’t judge her choice of friends. Who was she to judge? 

Soon enough, she lost Lightning in the night. Fang was alone. Someone approached her.

“Hey there, you seem lost.” A man with purple hair gently initiated conversation.

_Caius._ “Nah, I was just feeling a little overwhelmed. I’m new to this whole party thing.” Fang smoothly made up an excuse.

“Well, I can guide you." He paused for a moment and looked at her. "Forgive me for being so direct, but if I’m not mistaken, you’re from Gran Pulse, aren’t you?” Fang froze up for a moment, but then she had an epiphany. _He said Gran Pulse... not just Pulse._

“Yeah, I am. Why do you call it Gran Pulse?” Fang tested his words.

“Well that’s it’s name isn’t it? I should know since I’m from there too.” Fang was astonished and confused.

_Is he not like the rest of them? He must have been the one who wasn’t there that day. Why would he be around those people when they say such derogatory words? Maybe he doesn’t know._

Fang let her guard down. “It’s nice to know there’s someone like me here.” She let out a large sigh.

“Yeah, not too many of us out here, huh? Here, take this drink. It’s honestly pretty good.” Caius extended his hand, offering Fang the drink.

_Sure. Why not._ Fang took it and drank it. _It actually is pretty nice._

“So what made you leave Gran Pulse?” Fang asked with curiosity. She started to relax even more.

“I had someone I wanted to protect, and I knew I would have a better life here.” Fang felt comfortable. He was just like her.

“Do you like it here?” Fang asked another question. She was feeling a little too relaxed, but she didn’t exactly mind.

Caius’ expression changed. “Yeah, it’s way better here. The people, the society, really everything here is superior. I can’t believe I had to suffer being born a Pulsian.” He said it with an evil smirk. It was too late for Fang.

_What? Why? Wait, why can’t I move? What? What’s going on?! That drin—_

Fang fell to the ground. Caius picked her up, and took her away. He waved his hand, and one other male followed. Lightning was nowhere to be seen, too drunk to notice Fang’s disappearance. It would become her biggest regret.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hoo-boy. That was a chapter. Definitely not the prettiest of topics. But thanks for reading! And don't forget to leave your thoughts and feedback in the comments! :)


	10. Confessions

The moment the clock hit 2:50 on Sunday afternoon, Hope went straight to the cafe. He was twiddling his fingers all morning waiting for _her_ shift to begin. He _needed_ to talk to Lightning. Hope was irritated by how the past two days had turned out. He lost his chance to hear her story on Friday, and Saturday was nothing but a waste of time. He was running out of people to trust. _I just want to be with Light again._ He couldn’t help but worry about her again. He didn’t care about what happened to himself yesterday.

_She hasn’t been very responsive to my texts, and whenever she does respond, her texts are different. Something is going on._

He pushed the door and let the bells chime. _There she is._ But Lightning was out of it. Hope saw her eyes. They had another four and a half hours until her shift ended. Hope went to the counter.

“Hey Light. Good to see you again.” Hope’s voice was full of care.

“Hope? What can I get for you?” Lightning was in a trance.

“One latte please.” Hope studied her face as he said this.

“I’ll get that right out.” Her voice was dull. Hope looked into her eyes.

“Is something bothering you?” Hope questioned her. 

“Nothing at all, what’s up?” Lightning responded dimly.

“Your eyes, they don’t match the rest of you.” Hope called out her bluff.

“Maybe just a little stressed, nothing beyond the ordinary though.” Lightning still held back the truth.

_She’s lying. It’s clear as day. I’ll have to wait for this shift to end._

“Okay, I’ll be waiting for you.” Hope left and sat down.

He couldn’t do work today. His mind was too preoccupied with thoughts of her. _Why is she acting so strange today? What could have happened? She barely acknowledged my presence. Agh. This is terrible. Is this my fault?_ Hope was lost in his thoughts for the hours to come. His latte became cold.

After what felt like the longest four and a half hours of his life, Lightning’s shift finally ended. But unlike his most recent visits, Lightning was silent again, as if she was hiding behind walls of steel. It wasn’t like their comfortable silence either.

“Light. You can drop the act.” Hope looked at her directly in the eyes.

“Not here okay? Let me take you back to my apartment.” Lightning’s voice faltered just slightly. Hope knew she was slowly breaking down underneath.

“Fine. Let’s go.” Hope was ready for whatever was going to come next.

They walked out and silently made their way to Lightning’s place. He had never been inside of it before, and it was quite frankly a strange first invitation. But Hope didn’t care, not now. She was blatantly suffering, and he needed to be there for her. Lightning unlocked her door and made her way in, leaving Hope to follow her and close the door behind him. She slumped straight onto her couch. Hope carefully sat next to her. Hope attempted to start their long awaited conversation.

“Ligh—” Lightning promptly cut him off.

“Hope. I’m going to be direct.” Lightning took a deep breath, hands shaking once again. She met his eyes for only a moment. “I killed my roommate.” Time stopped in the room. Hope’s eyes were wide open.

He reacted in a way most unexpected to Lightning. His body moved without his permission, crashing his face into Lightning’s neck and wrapping her tightly in his arms. She froze for a moment before she responded. She loosely put her arms around him. She continued talking.

“I used to be friends with the Sanctum Scholars. Hell, I was one of them. My roommate Fang was too.” Her voice was full of regret. “I never noticed how much she suffered, how much she suffered because I dragged her around those four. I was too selfish to see her sorrows.” Lightning had to take another breath. “She was Vanille’s special someone— and I failed her.” Her arms wound tighter against Hope. “I decided to take Fang to one of their hangouts by the beach. I was drunk and lost sight of her.” Lightning’s voice began to crack. “I didn’t realize I would lose sight of her forever.” Tears began welling up, and she took a large gasp of air. “They raped her. I brought her there, and she was raped by them.” Hope could feel her tears fall on the back of his neck, but he kept his grip on her. “She killed herself that same night.” Lightning finally broke. She fell backwards onto the couch, tears falling out like a stream. Hope was pulled down with her, but did not meet her face, he instead kept hugging her. He finally spoke.

“It’s not your fault.” He said it strongly. His grip on her got firmer.

“But I—” Hope instantly cut her off, his face moving and shushing her with his lips briefly. Lightning was too broken to care or react. He took his face away and began rubbing his hands around her back.

“It was never your fault. It will never be your fault.” Hope kept murmuring these words into her ears. He couldn’t do anything but comfort her. He nuzzled his face into her neck again.

There was a break before Lightning continued to expose her past. Just the two of them in each other's arms, one letting the other’s physical emotions finally come through. She tried so hard to get justice for Fang, but no one believed her. She explained her past, her lack of parents, her financial struggles, all the reasons for having to put up a wall, and finally finished with the topic of her sister. Hope couldn’t believe the burdens she carried. Hope had lost his own mother too, but the difference in effect was tremendous. The least he could do was empathize with her. After a long bout of sobbing, Lightning spoke again.

“Etro gave me one last punishment, Serah’s been ill ever since Fang’s death. And now, she’s even worse. She was moved to the ICU yesterday.” Hope’s demeanor changed, and he moved his head next to hers.

“And you still worked today?! But why? Shouldn’t yo—” Hope questioned her, but stopped when he saw her eyes. He didn’t mean for his voice to sound so harsh.

“The world doesn’t wait for me. It never will. There are still bills to pay. Snow’s taking care of her now. I’m a terrible guardian.” Lightning’s words were enough. She could not speak anymore.

Hope understood her silence, but could not understand why the world had been so cruel to her. All he could do now was comfort her, and that’s what he did. _I will not fail her_. He continued to hold her tight, and she responded with a grip tighter than his own. He dug his face into her neck again and whispered sweet nothings to her. She began to calm down, and her breathing slowed. They stayed like that, trying to forget about the world. She fell asleep in that same position, not losing any grip on Hope. It was late, with the starry sky illuminating the night.

He let his own tears fall. He believed he wasn’t crying for his own sake, but for hers. He never wanted her to be alone again. She became his everything in that moment. Sleep finally came upon him, and the two fell asleep intertwined with one another on that small couch. Their faces relaxed, and they escaped the demons of the real world, being only a dream away.

With the way Hope curled up into Lightning, it actually looked more like Lightning was comforting Hope. That perspective wasn’t too far from the truth either.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I've finally drafted the complete story (I think?) so now it's just time to keep editing. We will see what happens. Thank you all for reading, and be sure to leave your thoughts and feedback in the comments! :)


	11. Thank You

Their midterm came by without a hitch on Wednesday, surprisingly. No one said anything as the two entered the room that day: an eerily unexpected occurrence. People didn’t even whisper, though maybe it was due to Hope emanating an extremely protective and possessive aura. He could make his presence _scary_. 

As the weeks passed by from then, Hope spent even more time with Lightning than before. He was there for every single one of her shifts just like before, but he would now often go to her apartment rather than part ways or only walk her home. It had started after he spent that first night with her. He didn’t spend the night every night, but it sure felt like it (and his roommate Noel bullied him about it too). Lightning worried that she was burdening him.

_What about himself? His other friends?_

Her apartment magically became cleaner and cleaner with every visit. Hope noticed the poor food she ate, and one day bought take out for the both of them to share. One day became many. And after that, she noticed groceries within her fridge (they would even _magically_ restock). Hope had even occasionally cooked for her. He wasn’t really the best cook, but it was the thought that counted.

_He does so much..._

And more time actually meant everyday. When Lightning visited Serah on Saturdays, Hope came along and waited for her in the lobby. It was there that he met Snow.

“So you’re the one who stole sis’ heart, huh?” The large blonde inquired.

“Light and I aren’t like that…” _Though I wish._ Hope blushed and stumbled on his words as per usual.

“She even lets you call her Light? Wow! You really did steal her heart.” Snow laughed and gave him a hard pat on the back.

It wasn’t long after that Snow received a punch in the face from Lightning.

 _What an idiot_.

Lightning never would admit it to others, but she really did have a soft spot for Hope. It was there even before he did all the things he did. Just looking at his face, she felt a need to protect him, though recent events really exemplified Hope as the protector.

She didn’t know what she did to deserve him. In all her pain, her suffering, and years of loneliness, she finally felt happy. It was all thanks to him. She didn’t want to seem like she was taking advantage of him— she wholeheartedly appreciated his kindness. But she was terrible at showing her appreciation. She knew she needed to say something to him.

She decided she would try to say thank you on one fateful Friday night.

As she walked into the Sunleth Waterscape for her shift, she already saw Hope sitting in his corner. He gave her a bright smile and waved. Lightning proceeded to wave back, almost smiling in return. She put on her apron and went to work. The doors chimed again, and a tall guy with dark hair strolled in.

Hope recognized him and they began to chat. _Who is he?_ Lightning watched them from afar. But then she saw his face crinkle and darken. Hope was getting mad at him.

Noel whistled loudly. “Man, no wonder you come here! That barista is eye-candy for sure. I’m going to talk to her right now man.” He proceeded to walk to the counter. Hope’s head was fuming.

“Hey beautiful.” Noel was blunt with his words to Lightning.

 _Tch. Annoying._ “What can I get for you?” Lightning tried hard not to speak with spite. She felt a very dark aura building nearby.

“How about your number? I’m sure it’s better than any drink here.” Noel’s cheesy choice of words was not getting better. A shadow crept up on him.

“Noel.” Hope was right behind him, with eyes that could kill. His dark aura was like an infinite fountain of chaos. “Can’t you see you are bothering her?” Every word was laced with venom. “I think it’s time for you to go.” His green eyes really _did_ have intent to kill. “You’ve had enough fun.” In that moment, even Lightning was scared of Hope. Noel scurried away, laughing as he left the cafe. _Coffee boy’s a loverboy now._

Lightning noticed Hope was still in his state of possessive anger. _I think now would be a good time to thank him._

“Hope. He’s gone now.”

“Sorry about him, I swear I’ll get that idiot roommate of mine one day.” Hope’s anger diminished.

“Don’t worry about it. Th…” She couldn’t say it. “Do you want anything to drink?” _What is wrong with me? Agh._

“Sure! I’ll take a latte if you don’t mind, same as usual.” Hope’s words were back to his joyful self.

That was her first failed attempt of the day.  
  


Her shift eventually ended and Hope was there waiting for her as per usual. As she closed, she braced herself and practiced in her head her words. _Thanks for waiting for me, Hope! No, that’s not right. Thanks for waiting. Thanks for waiting. That much I should be able to do._ She turned off the last machine and walked away from the counter. She moved her way toward the exit and got ready to say her words.

“You ready?” _What? Again? Really?_

“Yep! Let’s head out.” Hope cheerfully opened the door for her. She readied herself to try again.

“T—” Her words didn’t get to leave her mouth. “What did you want to eat tonight, Light? We have a steak in the fridge. I swear my cooking is improving.” Hope was all too happy to talk.

“Sounds great.” Lightning sighed. _I’m never going to be able to say it._

The two kept walking as the sun set behind them. This was her second failed attempt of the day.  
  


They made it to her apartment. They entered and Hope went straight to cooking. She went to her couch to wait. She watched him from afar. The kitchen was practically his now, being used more by him than by Lightning herself. He even brought his own apron. The design was cute, and she wondered what inspired the zig zag pattern all over it.

_He would make a great house husband with all the work he does. Wait... did I just say husband?_

Shaken from her thoughts, Lightning tried once again. She got up and made her way over to Hope. But Hope’s swift words beat her.

“Hey Light. Do you mind cutting these for me?” He handed her a cutting board with vegetables.

_He wasn’t even looking at me! How did he know I was coming? Agh._

“Oh. Sure. No problem at all.” Lightning began chopping. _Why_ *chop* _is_ *chop* _it_ *chop* _so_ *chop* _hard._ _  
  
_

After some time, the two finished cooking. Hope looked proud today. They sat down at the table and began to eat.

_There’s no way I can mess it up this time._

She took a bite of the food. _Wow. This is really good. No wonder he looked so pleased._

“Hey Hope, th—the food is really good today.” Her larynx betrayed her. _AGAIN? Lightning— you failure._

“Really? Thanks so much Light! I’m so glad to hear that.” Hope wanted nothing more than to impress her.

“Yeah, it really is good. Hard work pays off.” Lightning gave up.  
  


They finished eating dinner and made their way over to the couch. The television was on, but Lightning wasn’t paying attention. She kept thinking about how she had failed to say thank you four times today. In her frustration, she did the only thing she knew how to do: flick his forehead.

“Ow! What was that for?” Hope was rubbing his forehead.

“Thanks... for everything.” Lightning muttered softly.

“What?” Hope didn’t believe his ears.

“You heard me the first time…” Lightning’s voice was full of embarrassment.

“Light…” Hope’s words were incomplete, as he chose to simply hug her. He knew how hard it was for her to do something as trivial as that, and he thought it was adorable. That single word was plenty enough for Hope. Even without words, she was enough for him.

_I truly don’t deserve him._

It was a long day for the two of them. He fell asleep nuzzling into her once again, his unorthodox but extraordinarily _cute_ position. Lightning chuckled and let sleep take over. Nothing could break their peace.

Saturday morning. Snow quietly knocked on Lightning’s door. He felt especially generous today and was going to walk with her to visit Serah. _No answer._ _I can probably just go right in._ He used the keys he had from Serah and entered. He had to try as hard as possible to hold in his gasp from the shock he saw in front of him. _Lightning? Cuddling? Serah has GOT to see this._ Snap. The soft sound of his phone camera was unheard by the two lost in sleep. Snow quietly tiptoed away. _Sweet dreams, you two._ He locked the door again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Make it double! Here's another one for y'all. It's really looking like the apocalypse or a nuclear winter outside right now. Kinda wack. But anyways, thanks for reading! Leave your thoughts and feedback in the comments! :D


	12. Omission

Any outsider would have thought Hope was lonely. Ever since his falling-out with Alyssa, he walked campus alone. His roommate was a completely different major, and he himself was barely in his dorm. That being said, no one could see their interactions in their dorm anyways. In all of his classes, he sat alone, really only interacting if someone else initiated contact. His mind was preoccupied with something else. But that something else was truly the someone that mattered to him.

To Hope, he was far from lonely. Noel knew it too… mainly because of the sheer amount of time that he was gone. All of his time was with that pink-haired barista. Hope was happy. He didn’t need attention or a large social group. He just needed her. As unhealthy as it might sound, she was enough for him. Plus, he was getting closer to Snow too, and as much as Lightning said she hated him, he knew he was a core part of their circle. He was like the goofy older brother he never had.

Hope knew more about Lightning than Lightning knew about him. And he was fine with that. He didn't mind sharing his history, but he also was more than willing to omit it. His struggles were nothing in comparison to hers. He didn’t need or want to burden her with such trivial issues. He thought that this wouldn't cause any problems.  
  


It was another day of class for Hope. His first semester was coming to a close, and finals were coming up very soon. He wasn’t worried about himself, but instead about Lightning again. Finals meant she would have to make her way to campus. Although there was no malice in their midterm, Hope couldn’t be too careful. He needed to be ready if those four wanted a repeat of their initial confrontation with Lightning. He made his way to the physics department.

He enjoyed the lectures and the labs now. He didn’t mind being alone. Alyssa occasionally stared in his direction, but he ignored it. She would have been a great lab partner, but she chose to destroy their friendship. Hope wasn’t going to forgive her so fast. He didn’t need her anyways. His work alone was astonishing. His gift in economics was practically a bargain brand gadget in comparison to his talent in physics. The boy would blink and suddenly the force required to make a planet levitate would be calculated. He was a prime candidate for research. Professor Rygdea knew this. He could use the boy’s talent.

Class went by in a flash for Hope, and he made his way out. But before he could leave, Professor Rygdea called him over.

“Hope, you have time to spare?”

“Yes Professor. What did you need?” Hope was a little surprised, he respected Rygdea and his work. It wasn’t everyday that the man with a PhD calls you over.

“I have a proposition for you— I’ve seen your work. It’s nothing short of amazing. You see, I actually know your father. I threw this idea over to him, and he thought it was great. What do you think of joining me for a new research project? I call it: The Academy.” Rygdea awaited Hope’s response.

Hope was even more surprised. _My father? He agreed to something like this?_ He was shocked over the fact that the professor knew his father, but more so that his father would even agree to this type of suggestion.

“Where would this work be located?” Hope needed to know.

“This is the fun part: We want to make a new city in Pulse. It’ll be historic!” Rygdea smirked.

 _Ah no wonder. The Estheim name would go down in history if this was a success. But to go to Pulse? I would have to leave Light._ “No.” Hope gave a blunt answer. Rygdea was taken aback for a moment. He realized he was a little overenthusiastic, but he still pushed his proposition.

“Hmm. I'll let you sleep on it. It’s a lot to take in, and I hope you can reconsider.” Rygdea was disappointed.  
  


Hope left the hall and made his way over to the economics department. This was the deplorable part of the day. Luckily, it seemed like the Sanctum Scholar problem was in hibernation. They still hadn’t bothered him in class since they first confronted Light. It was only that second confrontation after he cut ties with Alyssa… but that didn’t matter to him.

Hope knew Professor Dysley was strange from day one, but he just had a weird atmosphere. Again, he was a smart man, but the energy he gave off wasn’t right. It reminded him of those powerful Sanctum officials his own father used to be around. As class began, Hope felt eyes on him. _So much for hibernation._ All throughout class the eyes stayed. Those eyes didn’t leave him even after class. He got up to leave, but he didn’t make it very far before he was confronted.

“So you really are ex-soldier girl’s boy toy now.” Hope knew who it was without even looking, his word choice was all too familiar. He didn’t bother responding to Yaag. He tried to leave.

“Estheim. Leaving so soon? You tell her anything yet? It would sure be a shame if Lightning knew you were hiding something.” He toyed with Hope.

“She wouldn’t care.”

“You are so certain? I’m sure being so closely connected to Sanctum has its own perks.”

Hope cringed as he heard him mock him, but he refused to let them push further. He left the room and ignored whatever they had to say next. He didn’t look back.

_It doesn’t matter._

For the rest of the day and night, Hope battled his thoughts. Naturally, he was with Lightning. He hoped Lightning simply thought that he was deep in thought as he normally was. He didn’t have to tell her, right?

_Would Light care? Would she think differently? Am I really hiding that much? No. Telling her about myself would only burden her. I’m there for her, not for myself. This is the least I can do for her. Her problems are worse than my own. Whatever happened today wasn’t important._

Hope decided not to tell Lightning anything. Not even Rygdea’s proposition to him. He let her talk about her own day and worries. And when she asked, he described his own day like any other day. He reasoned that he didn’t have the justification or right to dump his own problems on her. Hope was very good at convincing himself. Even with his mind clouded and confused, from the cafe to her apartment, he didn’t mention a thing. Their own conversation and talk, whether small or big, was all he believed he needed. They had to focus on their finals anyways— it was the last stretch before the end of the first semester. Winter break was near. That night, he happily nuzzled himself into her arms like a puppy, being especially clingy. He couldn’t lose her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HUGE THANKS TO R_ARMCHAIR!!!!!! She helped/has been helping me resolve issues in my writing. Such an amazing being. Everyone should go check out her stories. For real. Do it now.
> 
> Thanks again to everyone for reading, and be sure to leave your thoughts and feedback in the comments! :D


	13. Brighter

It was now the Saturday before finals. Lightning was content, more content than she had been for the whole year. She felt like she could finally relax. Serah’s time in the ICU didn’t last very long. Her health was finally back to how it was before the scare. It had been one bumpy semester, but things were smoothing out. Lightning, Snow, and Hope were currently sitting in Serah’s hospital room, enjoying each other’s presence. In a more recent development, Serah had become good friends with Hope. They were happily chatting away. Putting physical appearance aside, one could mistake them for siblings. She whispered something into his ear, and he instantly blushed. Lightning cracked a slight smile. Everything was going so well. Even the big oaf Snow felt like family in that moment, with him constantly ruffling Hope’s hair around and treating Serah like his princess. Hope had fit right into the dynamic. She really liked their new routine together. 

Hope left the room for a quick bathroom break. Snow followed suit to grab waters for everyone. Serah didn’t waste a single moment and spoke to Lightning.

“Claire, he’s a keeper.” Serah laughed as she talked alone with Lightning.

“What?” Lightning couldn’t hide her immediate blush. She knew exactly what Serah was thinking.

“I can read right through both of you— you two are perfect,” Serah continued. “And don’t even try to tell me that you don’t think he likes you like that. You would have to be blind and deaf to not see how much he loves you.”

“I… I’m not really good with this whole feelings thing,” Lightning responded awkwardly. _She doesn’t even know half my struggle just trying to show gratitude..._

“Well, then learn with him. You’ve opened up so much since you met him. It’s time you find yourself a man anyways.” Serah chuckled again and smiled.

“Serah!” Lightning’s voice was raised, but Serah knew she meant no harm.

 _I have to admit, my days have never been brighter._ _  
  
_

The four spent the rest of their visiting hours joyfully. After their individual storms of misery, they now looked in the eye of the storm together and basked in the light. But this eye wasn’t going to be over them forever. Their joy was put to a halt as visiting hours ended. As they left the hospital, a clerk pulled Lightning aside.

“Ms. Farron, I unfortunately cannot grant you any more extensions.” The clerk’s voice was grim.

“Are you serious?” These were the words Lightning did not want to hear.

“This has been your fourth extension of the year, there are no more quarters left.”

“Please, can we not push it over to next year?” Lightning was desperate.

“You know I can’t do that. This is policy and as much as I wish I could, we cannot. The bill is going to be due.” The clerk ended their conversation.

The brightness of their recent days overshadowed Lightning’s current problem— her financial issues. She was in no position to afford any kind of hospital bill. By deferring payment, she had hoped to figure something out, but she was out of time. She had run out of options.

First, if she sold everything she had, the bill still would not be covered: nowhere close to it either. She didn’t even own her apartment.

Second, she still had college tuition debt. She was hoping for more financial aid: an impossible dream. The help they currently gave her wasn't enough. Every letter and email she sent was never given a response. Her debt was only growing.

Third, she was stubborn. There was no way she was going to ask for help from anyone. _Especially not Hope. That would be too much. He was just a college student anyways, what could he do?_

She only wished she had more time. The whole go-to-college-and-get-a-degree wasn’t working out for her. Not in her current situation. She only had her last resort— she would have to take a loan.  
  


When Lightning caught up to the boys waiting outside the hospital, she sent Hope home. A rare occurrence for her nowadays, but she had to deal with this herself. He had a look of disappointment in his eyes, but he knew they spent plenty enough time together. She used the excuse that he should spend some time with his real roommate. Though, it did pain her to see him go. Maybe to others these were signs of an extreme codependency, but they didn’t care. 

She assumed Snow would just go home on his own too. She waved goodbye as Hope walked in the opposite direction. She carried on walking. There was a bank she knew nearby. She unwillingly made her way over. Grumbling in her mind, she didn’t notice Snow walking on the opposite side of the street. He knew something was up, as she never sent Hope home. Those two lovebirds spent every moment together. Something was wrong, he felt it.

_What is sis up to?_

Snow kept following Lightning as she walked. She wasn’t headed back to her apartment. She was headed into a bank. As dumb as he acted or seemed, he would have to be blind to not see her plan. He wasn’t going to let her do this alone. He continued to follow her.

She entered the building. Before she could talk to a clerk, Snow pulled her aside from behind.

“How much were you planning on taking?” His words were aggressive.

“This doesn’t concern you.” She threw back her own.

“Of course this concerns me. I care about Serah just as much as you do!” Snow’s voice only got louder.

“Really? You’re going to try to say that to me?” Lightning was baffled that he tried to pull that card. Their eyes met in a battle.

“You have to let me help. There’s no way that you are going to carry this financial burden alone. How much were you going to take?” He emphasized the original question.

“300,000,” Lightning muttered out the number.

“300,000. You were going to take a 300,000 gil loan by yourself? Are you crazy?” Snow was appalled and his jaw dropped. 

“I have no other choice!” She balled up her fist as if she were to punch Snow; this wasn’t what she wanted either.

“Yes, you do. We are splitting this.” He had an unwavering resolve in his words.

“What?” Snow looked into her eyes.

“You heard me. Let’s take a joint loan. I’m just as responsible for Serah as you are.”

“I—” He cut her off, reading her mind.

“And I know you want to keep this from Hope. It’ll be just between the two of us.”

“I didn’t agree to this yet.” She frowned.

“But what else are you going to do? Neither of us can do anything else.” Snow had an irrefutable point.

“Tch. Not a word of this leaves the building.” She gave in. There was no way she could do this alone.

“Thank you for letting me help. It’s honestly the least I could do. We will get through this.” He let out a large sigh.

“Hmm. I sure do hope so. Promise me you’ll never leave Serah?” Lightning needed confirmation in words, even if she knew how much they loved each other.

“In a sick twisted way, there’s no way I can leave her now. But even before this, I would never have left Serah. I’m her hero you know?” Lightning understood.

The two proceeded to go to the counter and explain their situation. Signing documents, reading forms, and signing more contracts. The words and eyes of the loan officer were full of sympathy. _There goes another one._ They practically sold their souls to the devil, except that this devil ran a financial corporation. The medical world was a scam, and banks were just public loan sharks. Lightning and Snow had no choice. Their brighter days were going to stay bright, no matter what the cost was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter! Again with the massive thanks to R_Armchair. Thank you to everyone who has been keeping up with the story! Don't be afraid to leave your thoughts and feedback in the comments! Thanks again for reading. :)


	14. A Second Confrontation

_ Monday, it’s here. _ Hope woke up.  _ Nothing will happen today. _ Hope manifested and prayed.  _ Nothing happened before, nothing will happen today.  _ He proceeded to freshen up in the bathroom. _  
  
_

Hope had been disappointed that Lightning sent him home alone on Saturday, but he understood. He had been overly clingy to her recently; about ninety percent of his time was spent with her. He needed to go back to his room to let Noel know he was alive. And when Sunday came around, Hope spent the entirety of the day together with Lightning anyways. A little break was no issue. 

Lightning discreetly hid her secret from him that day, finally knowing the extent of his reading ability. She only had to smile and soften her eyes, giving no prompt for Hope to ask questions. But that wasn’t their main concern anymore. Fate would have it that their economics final was their first final of the week; a Monday final. And in reality, it was Hope’s second final of the week. Fate was cruel enough to give him two finals in one day. The only good thing about that was that once the day was over, his semester would be finished. The school calendar technically started winter break on that Wednesday, but he wouldn’t have to worry about academics after today. Lightning would only have to come on campus one last time for the year.

He had wanted to spend the night at Lightning’s apartment, to prepare her to feel comfortable on campus. But she thought it wasn’t necessary. Plus, he had his own physics final before their economics final. Hope was worrying too much about Lightning for his own academic good. She knew he wouldn’t want to go to his first final if he stayed over.   
  


Hope looked into the mirror as he brushed his teeth.  _ We just need to finish today. We can enjoy our break soon enough. A whole two weeks together. _ _  
  
_

Hope wasn’t worried about his first final. That class had no malice, no fear, nothing would go wrong. He just needed to go in and ace his exam. His fear was what would come after. Professor Rygdea still liked him anyways, even after he rejected his prestigious offer. Hope didn’t want to leave Bodhum. He finally felt like he was home.   
  


After readying himself for the day, he left his dorm room and headed to his first final. Noel was still snoozing the morning away. Winter was coming, with fall only having a week or two left. Hope was wearing an extra layer— it was cold outside. The once colorful trees lacked their leaves. To a child, the dead branches looked fierce and scary. Nature had its own way off saying that beauty doesn’t last forever. Hope carried on walking throughout campus. However, he felt as if eyes were on him. They were different from the eyes that tracked him in economics— they were eyes of fear. People looked down at their phones and back up. They made some form of connection or realization each time. He wasn’t even in the lecture hall yet. Hope shrugged it off for now.   


When he finally entered the physics room, there was whispering. Again, it was different whispering from when Lightning first came on campus. Wrong room, wrong crowd, wrong person. _What is going on?_ _Light isn’t even here yet… They can’t be talking about me, can they?_

Hope’s fault was in not worrying about himself. He took his final, ignoring the quiet whispers and fearful eyes. He had no idea what was happening. With the sound of pencils dropping after an hour, the final was finished. The eyes didn’t leave him. He was worried now. Class was over, and he just had to make it over to Lightning. His own eyes looked to the door.  _ Oh, there she is waiting for me.  _ Lightning was standing right outside, leaning on the side.  _ What a relief. _

But as he made his way over, someone stopped him and asked him a dire question.

“Is it true that you assaulted Alyssa?” He did not recognize the person or the voice speaking in front of him.

“What? No, why—” But Hope’s voice was overpowered. A girl began sobbing and took the attention of the entire room, including Lightning. 

_ Alyssa _ .

“Why does no one believe me? It was him.” She pointed a finger directly at Hope. “He pushed me down. I even have proof.” She took out a photo for all to see. “This was from the library security cameras. Can’t you see?” Alyssa lied as she sobbed out her words. 

Hope was at a loss. The entire room was against him. Professor Rygdea was in a state of disbelief. Hope’s eyes steered for Lightning.  _ Please _ . She was frozen.  _ No. She can’t think that.  _ He made his way to Lightning, trying to maneuver his way past the fearful students.

“So Estheim is a player too?” The voice he heard was not what he needed.  _ It’s them. Why are they here?  _ A group of three came up behind Lightning. Cid was not with them.

“Mhm. I would expect it from a privileged kid.” His connection to his father was revealed to everyone.

Anyone on Cocoon would recognize the last name Estheim— Bartholomew Estheim was the famed economist of the Sanctum government. Now the entire room was in even more shock. Hope gritted his teeth.

Hope’s eyes stayed on Lightning, pleading her to believe him over anyone else. But in this exact moment, Hope couldn’t read Lightning.

“LIGHT! None of this is true!” Hope yelled to her.

“So he hid his identity from you too? How trusting of him.” The feminine voice used sarcasm to spite.

Lightning fled the room, running. 

_ No… she can’t. She’s all I have. NO. NO. NO! _

Tears rolled down Hope’s face, and he too ran, pushing through the faceless students around him. He couldn’t believe it.  _ Lightning thinks I’m a monster, a monster who lied to her. _

He looked all over. Scanning the area, he could not find her. He needed to explain everything. But he still couldn’t find Lightning. She was too agile. Hope’s frustration and desperation only grew. He ran to the only place he had left to go: The Sunleth Waterscape.

_ Light. Please. _ __  
  


His face red, arms heavy, Hope was a complete mess. He didn’t care what strangers on the street were thinking.  _ I just need to find Light. _ He kept running with his teary face in the broad daylight. He finally arrived and pushed through the doors, chimes ringing furiously. Lightning wasn’t there.

“Vanille!” Hope shouted as he caught his breath. “Do you have any idea where Light is? She ran off and— no. Not you too.” Hope trembled as he saw the fear on Vanille’s face. “It’s all a lie! You can’t believe them. Please, I’m telling the truth!” The desperation in Hope’s voice was depressing. But Vanille didn’t move her mouth. She looked at her own phone, and then back at his face. She kept looking at him with those eyes of fear everyone else gave.

“Leave.”

“Vanille—”

“Leave.” Hope was shattered. The last person he thought he could trust didn’t believe him. Tears fell once more, and he ran off again. His own room was his last safe place. He really wanted to cry into his pillow. Alone. He was truly alone.

It was apparent that neither Lightning or Hope made it to the economics building that day. Back on campus, Caius, Yaag, and Jihl looked at Alyssa with content. The three headed to their own department. Cid was unaware of what was happening then as he wasn’t present; he was too busy preparing for his economics final. The buildings themselves were on opposite sides of campus. But after hearing the story from his friends, he only had one goal in mind. He needed to keep the school safe. His ideals blinded him. He reminisced over the night they lost Fang.  _ What a tragic night. _ Someone had assaulted her, leading to her suicide. They never caught the perpetrators of that event. He believed it was because of her drunken state and rage that Lightning tried to blame it on their group. He didn’t believe her.  _ The gall she had to accuse Yaag and Caius. Those two would never. _ She cut herself off from the group since that day, leaving behind her duty as a future Sanctum leader. In his head, she tried to tarnish their own reputation for something they didn’t do.  _ How selfish and immature, especially in light of what happened that night.  _ He had held disdain for her since, just like the rest of their group. Cid promised himself that nothing like this would happen again. It pained him greatly that they couldn’t catch the offender. But this time, there was clear evidence. He knew he needed to report it. For the safety and sake of his school. After his economics final finished, Cid had a talk with Professor Dysley. Phone calls followed suit.

Word got around fast. Hope was alone in his dorm room all afternoon. Not even Noel came in.  _ He must think I’m a monster too. _ Irrational beliefs clouded Hope’s mind. He then received a phone call from his father. 

“You are one ungrateful but lucky kid. No matter what the truth is, you have tarnished our family name. I had two professors calling me earlier. The only saving grace you have is from Professor Rygdea, who so graciously offered you the opportunity of a lifetime earlier. He vouched for you. I have no choice but to give you this ultimatum— you may either stay there in Bodhum no longer my son, or you take Rygdea‘s proposition. If you choose the latter, I can graciously use my influence to remove whatever stain you created.” His father promptly ended the call, not even letting him respond.

Hope’s world as he currently knew it had fallen apart. He had to either slave away for his father, or be an outcast forever in Bodhum. He lost his home.

He gave up. His expression, eyes, and face broken. He ran out, not looking back. If he kept running, the sea would meet the horizon eventually. It was cold outside.

Noel couldn’t believe his ears.  _ Coffee boy assaulted someone? Tch. No way. He’s too infatuated with that barista. What a load of bullshit.  _ He walked back to his dorm room as the sun began its descent. After waking up late, he spent the bulk of his day in the library to prepare for his final the next day. All he heard were whispers about his roommate.  _ I should talk to Hope. He must be in a terrible position.  _ He spotted a figure moving.  _ Wait, is that him? _ Noel watched as the figure ran.  _ Where is he going? I can’t catch him. He’s headed toward the beach? I better tell that barista. _ Noel hurried his way over to the cafe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and here we are— in the final process of editing and polishing and uploading... all thanks to the gracious help of R_Armchair!!! I cannot thank her enough. Thank you all for reading once again, and leave your thoughts and feedback in the comments! :D


	15. Perspective

_Hope?_ Lightning couldn’t comprehend what had just happened. She was waiting for Hope to finish his first final, and the entire room was against him. _That crazy blonde girl Alyssa is claiming he assaulted her. What a lying bitch. Pictures? Huh?_ She tried to meet his eyes, but his eyes were full of fear. She froze at the sight of him. _He is breaking._ _No. This can’t be happening._ But something stopped her from moving. Lightning briefly looked behind herself— _Yaag? Caius? What are they doing here?_

“So Estheim is a player too?” Lightning heard the name.  _ What? Estheim?  _ They were just supposed to take a final, but everything was going wrong. Her mind began to wander, ignoring the events occurring in the room.  _ Is this my fault? Hope, I can’t believe they’re going after you. It’s because of me.  _

She missed the next voice, lost deep within her thoughts. It was too chaotic. The only word she heard was “privileged”, leaving her even more confused.  _ Privileged?  _ She still hadn’t put two and two together.

She was kicked out of her trance when she heard an all too familiar female voice say “So he hid his identity from you too?” Her mind froze once again, as she failed to grasp the situation.  _ The Sanctum Estheim?  _ There was too much information in her head to process.

_ Everyone thinks Hope assaulted Alyssa. I knew Alyssa was bad from the start. Everyone hates Hope now. He should have never been around her.  _ Her mind compared Caius to Hope.  _ There’s no way it’s true. _

The next topic came into her head. This was something she wasn’t so sure about. _ Hope is of the Estheim family. _ Unconsciously, her insecurities rose.  _ Why didn’t he tell me? Was he mocking me for my atrocious financial debt? Wait, was he mocking me this whole time? Every time he saw my apartment, every time he saw me work? He spent almost every minute of his free time with me. Is that why was he spending so much time with me? He didn't tell me anything... _

_ Hope _ — she saw his face. Asking, yearning, longing. Seeing his hurt face, she wanted to reach out for him, to hold him and say it’s okay, but her body denied her.  _ I can’t. I have to go. _ In a fight or flight reaction, her legs moved without her consent. She shut down, running away from it all. She pushed everyone out of her way.  _ What am I going to do?  _

Lightning was terrible at dealing with emotions and situations, but she unknowingly picked the worst time to distance herself. As much as she trusted and wanted to trust Hope now, she needed time. Hope didn’t know that. Hope didn’t know what happened in her head. So she kept running, running to the only other person who kept her together: Serah.

She rushed into the hospital. She ran directly into Serah’s room.

“Sis, what are you doing here? Where’s Hope?” Serah was confused.

“I ran.” Lightning was breathing heavily.

“What? You have to explain.” Serah was even more confused now.

“Hope, they,” Lightning was gasping, partly from her exhaustion, and partly from her guilt. “They humiliated him. Everyone thinks he attacked a girl.” Lightning kept breathing heavy.

“Lightning, I still don’t understand.” Serah had no clue what was happening.

“He is an Estheim.” Lightning kept adding on more facts.

“Claire, slow down.” Serah’s tone was firm.

“I didn’t know what to do, I just ran away” Lightning’s voice broke and she became weak.

“Shh. Let’s start from the beginning. It’s okay.” Serah calmed her. She hadn’t seen her sister weak like this before.

Lightning sat down. She told her everything. How Alyssa accused Hope of assault, and how three of the Sanctum Scholars revealed his family connection. She described the complete fear in his eyes that she saw throughout the whole event. If Serah could, she would have slapped Lightning. She knew her sister was awful with emotions, but she broke the poor boy with her actions.

“So you ran?” Serah had anger in her voice.

“I didn’t mean to! I was scared! You know I suck at these kinds of things,” Lightning retorted back.

“Did you believe anything anyone said?”

“Of course not. No. I would never.” Lightning was ashamed of the doubts she had in the moment. “But he didn’t tell me he was an Estheim.”

“Does that really matter?”

“Of course it does! I wish he didn’t hide things from me.” Her voice exposed her insecurities.

“Think about the moment now: as mad as you are with him, did he not just get publicly humiliated for something he didn’t do?” Serah’s rational voice stated the facts.

“Yes…” Lightning realized what she unintentionally told Hope through her actions.

“Then you have to go after him. You must talk to him. NOW!” Serah was yelling at her now.

_ Claire, you love him too much. You can’t lose him. _

Lightning ran to the Sunleth Waterscape. Time was of the essence. The bright rays of the afternoon began to shift into a dimmer evening glow. By this point she had completely missed her midday final. School meant nothing to her now. She truly hoped that Hope would have gone to find her there. Her intuition wasn’t wrong, but her timing was off. She ran through the streets blindly, not caring what anyone else thought. She pushed through the cafe doors, hearing the classic chimes. She was disappointed at what she found.

“Vanille! Have you seen Hope?” Lightning desperately asked her.

Vanille was silent. There was a look of shame on her face.

“Vanille! Talk to me. Have you seen Hope!?” Lightning shouted it again.

Vanille still didn’t respond.

“I’m looking for Hope! Are you deaf? What happened?” Lightning was mad now.

Someone else answered for her. “You mean the rapist?”

“The what? What did you just call him?” Lightning turned around with a snarling face.

“Have you looked at social media recently? He’s all over the place, there’s even a picture too.” The outsider grabbed his phone and showed her.

Lightning didn’t bother looking. “Shut up. This is a conversation between Vanille and I.” Lightning’s attention went back to Vanille. Her eyes showed her shame.

“Don’t tell me you sent him away. Vanille, you didn’t...” Lightning was on the verge of blowing up.

“I was scared! I just couldn’t stop thinking about Fang!” Lightning almost slapped her. But her hand stopped as she heard her name. She realized she had no right to be mad. “I’m sorry,” Vanille responded weakly.

“Tch. You know I can’t be mad at you. This is my fault. I’m sorry I blew up at you.”

“No, I shouldn’t have sent him away. He really looked broken, but I just had too many bad memories. I froze up and spoke without thinking.” Lightning’s heart broke as she heard what she said. “You need to find Hope.” Vanille’s eyes were damp, and she couldn’t meet Lightning’s eyes.

_ Where would he go? He has no other haven. I can’t believe I lost him. _

Lightning’s self-deprecation began to take over as she thought of what to do next.  _ The library? My apartment? Maybe his dorm. I’ll start there. _

But Etro was a kind god. Before she could leave, someone else came. A very familiar, tall dark-haired boy ran into the Sunleth Waterscape.

“Is Lightning here?” His voice was urgent.

“Noel?” His unexpected appearance bewildered her.

“I thought you would be here. I think Hope needs you.” Lightning’s ears perked up with his mention of Hope.

“You know where he is?!” Noel now knew coming here was the right choice.

“Not exactly, but he ran from campus towards the beach. I was too late to catch him, so I figured I would come here to tell you or someone he knew.” This was all Lightning needed to know before becoming a pink blur.

She sprinted out of the cafe, not saying another word. She was going to beat the sunset.  _ I’m coming, Hope. _

Noel smiled and sighed.  _ Coffee Boy has to set some boundaries— he is deathly dependent on her. But it's no wonder he loves her. She loves him just as much. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and it continues... thanks again to R_Armchair. And thanks to all of you reading! :D Don't forget to leave your thoughts and feedback in the comments! As I upload the next chapters in succession, I think this will be the last little author note until the last chapter. You all know the drill by now haha.


	16. Savior

Walking mindlessly through the sand on the edge of the beach, Hope reflected on his time so far in Bodhum. His legs were fully spent from the hours past— running first, then now roaming idly around. It was cold outside with the sun finally set, contrasting from the warm memories he was desperately holding on to. He kept walking, his pace deathly slow. _Alyssa._ His first friend. He couldn’t grasp her reasoning, her mind. For what purpose did she do this? Their friendship could have blossomed. When they first met, they were perfect partners in research. Their passions aligned. _What went wrong?_ Their short lived friendship had still held a place in his mind even after her first incident. He never believed she would have gone this far. Not even Vanille believed him after what she had done. His second friend. His heart hurt. _I should have told Light._

_Light…_ He began thinking about her, walking deeper into the shore. The sun sank below the horizon. It began with a push. He first saw her eyes, more beautiful than the blue of the ocean. Even if she wasn’t his first formal friend, she was the first person he met in Bodhum. Her finesse, dedication, and that flavor. Oh, he could never get over the flavor she drew out of a mere cup of coffee. What started as a childish true-love-at-first-sight crush had come to reality. It was all too quick. It hurt him. Hope’s feet touched the ocean. He had been so happy to have her open up, even if just a little. Hell, even his goofy roommate Noel knew how infatuated he was, constantly teasing him over and over about _his_ pink-haired barista. He was so right. Spending everyday with her just felt so right _._

With her, he felt like he belonged. Their simple routine was home. He met Snow, the big oaf of a boyfriend to her sister Serah. Lightning’s family was more of a family for Hope than his own family. It was crazy how quickly Hope integrated himself in, throughout the time of a single semester.

This was the life he longed for. The life he had run away for. The life he needed. He never realized how dependent he had become on her. Hope felt like he had no one anymore. His feet trudged deeper into the sea, meeting his knees as he looked up at the darkening sky. The blue was washing out of the water. He wanted to keep running, to keep escaping the ropes his father held on him. He wanted to stay here, to be home. But he couldn’t call this place home any longer. Not when _she_ was running from him. His third and most cherished friend. Hope was waist deep in the now colorless water. He didn’t feel the cold. His eyes kept looking in the sky, wishing for an answer.

He would give up his world for Lightning. He had no life without her at this point. But he had limited choice—  _ slave to the system, or stay here. But I can’t stay. Not anymore. _ It hurt him. He cursed loudly into the early and quiet night, unheard to anyone but the myriad of stars across the night sky. The whole reason he came here was to run from his origin, away from what everyone expected him to do. He refused to do the will of his father. He could only run so far. His heart was empty. Hope pushed deeper into the water. Eyes closed, neck deep.

_ I can end this here. I won’t have run anymore. Now. _

Dark thoughts controlled Hope’s weak and dependent mental state. Shattered, broken, and alone. He believed he lost the trust of his only savior. His legs heavy, they barely were able to continue wading against the ocean. A wave crashed against him, temporarily leaving him submerged. It wasn’t enough. He trudged deeper. The cold water didn’t bother him. The loud sounds of water became nothing soon enough. A final wave crashed over him. He felt nothing.

The starlight was enough for Lightning’s determined eyes. Running toward the beach, she saw his glimmer of silver hair. _This is not happening again. Not to_ ** _him._** She ran harder. Her heart broke at the sight. The sand was no match for her unstoppable feet. His body had given control to the ocean. _I can’t lose him._ She ignored the freezing temperature of the air and water. She dove right in. The water fought against her, but she fought harder. She searched vigorously, her hands desperately trying to find someone to grab.

Her eyes hurt from looking in the salty water. She didn’t feel the pain. Her mind only needed one thing. And she found him. She reached for him, legs kicking like an engine. She grabbed him, and a large wave crashed against them. They were pushed to shore.

She started compressing his chest, shaking him. She turned him to his side. She did everything to get the water out of his body. She pinched his nose and without a second thought, she met his mouth with her own. She forced life into him.  _ He  _ **_cannot_ ** _ die. _ He choked and choked. But he was alive. When his eyes opened, she slapped him. Her eyes were full of tears. Hope did not understand, with his brain barely functioning. She let her cries vocalize. She punched him, starting strong, but getting weaker with every hit.

“You idiot.” Lightning sobbed. “If you think you have no one to live for— live for me. Live for me goddammit.” Lightning’s words were barely heard by Hope’s semi-conscious form.

“I love you.” Seeing his face and lack of reaction, her heart broke. “I never told you that. I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have run. I’m so sorry.” Lightning’s words crumbled.

_ I never told her I loved her.  _ Hope’s mind still believed he was dead.

She sat there with Hope’s shivering body against hers. She relied on her own body heat to keep him warm, though not effective. But she wasn’t thinking properly, only crying and thanking Etro that Hope hadn’t died. She let herself break down.   
  


It wasn’t long after that Noel, Vanille, and Snow came over. They had an emergency crew and ambulance team with them. Lightning was deaf to the sirens and voices around her. She clung to Hope and everything became a blur.

Lightning awoke in a hospital bed.  _ Hope. Where is he? _ Snow was next to her. His eyes were soft.

“Hope is okay. He’s drifting in and out of consciousness, but he’s alive. Don’t worry.” Snow read her mind and let her know he was okay. “You’ve got a nasty case of hypothermia, dehydration, and some minor cuts. But I know you aren’t worrying about yourself now.”

Lightning was ready to fight. She wanted to rip off the IV bag connected to her. She needed to get to Hope. But her body denied her. She had exhausted herself too far tonight. She finally felt the pain she had ignored becoming tenfold. Though, it wouldn't be long until she was back on her feet. She just needed to rest. Her head fell back, and she fell into a dreamless sleep. 

Hope officially woke up two nights later. He remembered nothing from the intervals of consciousness he had in the past forty-eight hours. He looked next to him.  _ Light… _ She was sitting at the chair across from him, intently looking at him. He saw her bandages. Then he remembered— she was the one who saved him. His savior. She risked her own life to pull him out of his pool of despair, and she wasn’t very happy with his decision at all. It hurt his heart, and he felt tears rolling down his face. In an instant, she was holding him in her arms. His eyes full of sorrow and regret, he cried. 

“I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry I’m so sorry.” Hope couldn’t believe himself.

Lightning only shushed him and hugged him tighter. They stayed like that in their silence, until a nurse came in. She informed Hope of his situation, and more importantly, that they informed his father. He would be coming in the morning. Hope winced at that fact. It hurt him more than the physical pain he was enduring. His father was going to see him in the state he was, and he would expect an answer no matter what. The nurse left the room, telling him to rest. They would be back soon to check in on him and do more tests.

Lightning’s arms were around him again soon enough, and Hope found peace. He knew the outcome before he had even asked, but he asked her anyways.

“Light, run away with me.”

The night was a cold start to their winter break.


	17. Wait for Me

A part of Lightning had wanted to say yes, but her chains refused. She couldn’t. It was unfair. She still had Serah, her debt, her home. Bodhum was all she knew. She was his knight in shining armor, but this was no fairy tale. Life was unfair. Hearing her silence, Hope explained further.

“My father will force me to leave when he sees me.” Hope’s words were sorrowful. “He told me… I can either stay here disowned, or go join a new project on Pulse.” Hope took a deep breath before he continued. “I can’t stay, and I don’t want to be trapped by my father. We can make a third option together. I want to run away with you instead.”

Lightning understood his reasoning. Hope wasn’t in the best position to stay here. If he stayed, no one would accept him after Alyssa’s news. Only someone with Sanctum official power could pardon and delete such a commotion. Bodhum was her home; she had a duty. It pained her that she couldn’t share this home— but it wasn’t right. Another part of her needed her to say no. It wasn’t just her chains that refused. What future would he have if he ran? They weren’t ready as a couple to run away: too unstable, too dependent, and showing signs of an unhealthy obsession. He needed to be more open with her. In their current state, his plan was a ship destined to sink. They needed time.

“Hope, I can’t.” His face fell. He knew this would be her reaction, and he understood why. But it didn’t ease the pain. She continued on.

“I have a 300,000 gil loan waiting for me. Serah needs me now. Soon, I won’t be able to afford my apartment rent or college tuition.” She paused for a moment and looked in Hope’s eyes. “I really do want to run, trust me.” _Now is just not the time._ It hurt Hope, but this was what he needed to hear. There was a moment of silence before Hope spoke again.

“The least I can do is make sure this current hospital bill is taken care of.”

“Hope—”

“I’m the reason we both were hurt. There’s no excuse.”

“Fine. I understand.” She didn’t want pity, but Hope made it clear that it wasn’t pity. They stayed in silence again until Lightning spoke.

“So, you’ll have to leave and take the proposition then?” Lightning asked to confirm, though she already knew Hope would have to follow his father’s plans.

“No one would hire me here. Not with this false accusation. I have no future like this.” Hope sighed. “There’s no other viable option. I’ll have to go to Pulse. There’s no justice, but we can’t do anything.” Hope was frustrated, but he was defeated. There was no escape. Running away was only a childish dream.

“I’ll miss you.” Lightning couldn’t come up with anything else to say. Knowing that this would be one of her last interactions with him, she was ready to start crying again.

“Then, will you wait for me?” Hope asked his final question pleadingly. A different pleading than his usual puppy dog eyes. He wanted a genuine response, but he made his hopes apparent.

She flicked him in the forehead. “Of course I’ll wait for you, dummy.” She gave him a real smile.

They said no more. Lightning wrapped her arms around him once again, savoring every moment. He let himself melt in her arms. The various cords and attachments didn’t bother them. She mindlessly ran her hand through his silvery hair. She watched him relax, breath slower, and eventually fall asleep. She reluctantly removed her arms from him. Hope’s sleeping form reached for her hand again. Sitting down on a chair next to him, she let him find her hand.

_For you, I’ll always wait._

Hope’s father did come the next morning. Clad in his suit, he talked to Hope alone. The emotion on his face was uncertain. Lightning stayed outside as she understood this was a conversation meant for them alone. It didn’t last long, and soon enough his father walked out into the hall. Before he left, he looked at Lightning and said the unexpected.

“Thank you for saving my son.” He continued walking.

Bartholomew Estheim did care for his son: he just wasn’t good at it. Blinded by his ideals and by work, he unwillingly forced Hope to do what he couldn’t do in his own lifetime. He was pushing his own ambitions on to him. It took his near death to realize this. Unfortunately, his ultimatum had to stay firm, no matter how much Hope begged. The Sanctum wouldn’t let Hope off the hook and stay in Bodhum. If he wanted to delete his history, he would have to contribute to their grandiose plan and make history. Using their power needed something in return; nothing was free in this world. He hoped that his and Rygdea’s plan for “The Academy” would eventually become something Hope could enjoy. 

With Hope’s agreement to participate, Mr. Estheim stayed true to his promise. Every photo, post, and mention of Hope “assaulting” Alyssa was deleted and blocked. The government had power.

Alyssa was left a confused mess, wondering why everything in their plan had suddenly vanished. It worked perfectly until suddenly it was like it never existed. Those three never consulted her again, despite the repeated phone calls she gave. She just wanted to get back at Hope— and it grew into something much worse. The guilt finally hit her, only when she was finally alone.

Cid was told it was all a hoax. He was angry once again— to have a false blame placed on someone. He wanted to have true justice, and he couldn’t believe that he failed his fellow classmate. If he was going to be a leader, he needed to be better than this. Realizing his own personal path and resolve, he slowly disconnected from the other three scholars. He was going to do his own research on these matters.

Jihl, Yaag, and Caius knew Hope had immunity. They brushed this situation off, and continued as they always did. It was enough fun and games for them— they got rid of him. 

Lightning learned Hope would only have to leave at the end of winter break. Hope’s father was more gracious than expected, resulting from his apparent guilt. Hope’s body needed time to recover as well. With it now being Thursday, the two had thirteen days left together, and they were going to spend every moment with each other. This would be Lightning’s parting gift to Hope and their chance to reconcile. It would be their first and last winter break together.

The first three days were spent in the hospital. Lightning was with Hope throughout his entire recovery. She was more than tempted to jump into his hospital bed and sleep right alongside him… until the nurse caught her trying and threatened to kick her out. Luckily, being young, it didn’t take very long for Hope to recover. All bills were covered for this incident, as promised. The two had ten days left.  
  


On day one of their ten days, they first focused on moving Hope out. Without school, Lightning helped him move all of his belongings out of the dorms. It was strange, with the campus bare. Many students had already left. One specific student was staying for the break, and it was someone Hope and Lightning needed to thank. _Noel._ If it wasn’t for him, she might not have found Hope in time. She watched as Hope gave his goodbye to him. Even if he didn’t appreciate his teasing, he was going to miss it. Noel actually offered to help them move his stuff over to Lightning’s apartment, but the two politely declined. He had done enough for them. Once they had finished moving it all, they journeyed over to the Sunleth Waterscape. Lightning had some shifts to catch up on. Their routine was back in business.  
  


On the second day, Lightning visited Serah again. Sure she had seen her only two days prior when Hope was still in the hospital, but she wasn’t going to miss out on this chance with a free day off work. A Saturday was still a Saturday. Serah was glad to see Hope in good shape. It was enough reason for Snow to grab him in a suffocating hug too, not that Hope appreciated it. _This is my family_ . Lightning let herself laugh as she saw them.  
  


On the third day, Hope and Lightning followed their routine once more. Though, they were able to sleep in and enjoy each other’s presence before leaving to go to the cafe. In fact, they were able to do that for a while. Whatever happened in that apartment was going to stay in that apartment. As the afternoon rolled by and her shift came, the two walked to the cafe. There, they met Vanille. Vanille apologized as much as she could, and Hope simply forgave her. He understood her fears, knowing her story from when Lightning told him. Trauma wasn’t so easily defeated. He was glad to have another friend back. The day followed like a typical Sunday for them.  
  


The final week they had together was precious. Even if it wasn’t all that different from the weeks they spent together prior, because every week they had together was precious. With the absence of school, it only meant more personal time together. It was here that Hope finally told her more about himself. This was long overdue. He told her everything. His past, his connections, his family. She knew about his mother, but she didn’t know how much he loved her. It was clear through his stories and retelling of memories.. From favorite color to preferred type of bottled water, they had nothing to hide. This was the way it was supposed to be. Now Lighting could truly begin to trust Hope completely. She was going to remember every bite of his cooking, despite its less than great flavor sometimes.

Their final day together was the toughest. Hope and Lightning both knew they couldn’t stay in their beloved dreamland forever. They needed to talk about their separate futures. Hope spoke first.

“So what’s next for you, Light?” Hope’s voice held a tinge of regret.

“I’m not going back to school.” Lightning had made a decision.

“Wait, what?” Hope was caught off guard.

“Yeah— it’s really not worth it. I don’t have the time or money to complete my degree. I’m going to join the Guardian Corps.” Lightning sighed and added on. “It was my original plan from the beginning when I used to be a Sanctum Scholar. I would have had benefits as a direct officer coming from that program, but it’s no use now. I’ll have to work my way up.” Hope could hear the resolve in her words.

“Light, I’ll support you in this.” Hope gave her words of encouragement. “If you think it’s the path you need to take, then it’s already decided.”

“Thanks. You better remember that I’ll be waiting for you.”

“I’ll be waiting for you too, Light.” Hope took a deep breath. “I love you Light.” His words were deep and sincere. But he looked at her face and was surprised by the expression on it.

“Call me Claire.” Lightning was embarrassed and said another inaudible request.

“What?” Hope couldn’t hear.

“Call me Claire and say it again.” She said it just a little louder.

“I love you Claire.” And she met his lips with her own. 

“I love you too, Hope.”


	18. Separate Ways

And so Hope and Lightning parted. Hope left Bodhum, leaving alongside Professor Rygdea via an intricate hybrid aircraft of some sort. His eyes never left Lightning as they flew further and further from the ground. It was going to be a long journey: planetary travel took at least three days. The technology for this all was still brand new. It was going to take an ungodly amount of fuel and resources, meaning Hope wouldn’t be able to come back as he so pleased. This was his new focus on Pulse.

“Hey kid. You hanging in there?” Rygdea was piloting the aircraft. He peeked his head behind him, only to see Hope’s expressionless face. “Lighten up. I’m certain it’s better than what you are expecting.” Hope only nodded in response.

“Look, I know this isn’t exactly what you wanted. But I think you can learn to enjoy it. We already have a team of scientists down there. They aren’t bad people. I promise.” Rygdea tried one last time to cheer Hope up. What happened to Hope was tragic, and Rygdea himself wasn’t happy that even after all of this, Hope was still forced to accept a proposition he didn’t want to take. Rygdea felt guilty and responsible for him: this was the least he could do.

“Okay.” It would take time for Hope to accept this.

The rest of their journey was met with silence. The whirring of the engine filled the craft with empty sound for the days to come.

The whirring engine finally stopped. Rygdea threw his hands up and stretched. The gates of the aircraft opened and the natural light glistened. Hope stepped out and was officially in Gran Pulse. He took it all in— the blue sky, the wildlife, and the foreign air. This was not the hell described in his textbooks. This was going to be his workspace for the coming years. He walked over to the mass of tents, where the other scientists were currently residing. Barren of civilization, but fruitful in nature. The supplies they had were limited; a convoy would have to come from Cocoon once per month. They were isolated.

The scientists all wore similar uniforms. A white jacket with yellow highlights: a very unique design. Hope was pleasantly surprised by how they looked. He would soon have one of his own. He began chatting with them and introduced himself. And only moments later they were already talking about topics too advanced for the basic citizen. Everyone shared the same love of science. Rygdea was right; Hope opened up. It was much better than he expected. Hope talked the night away with his new team. They would soon become his new family.

His colleagues showed him to his tent. Inside was a meager cot, table, chair, and lamp. This was his new “home.” The lack of technology bugged him, but that was technically his job to implement. Give or take five years, and maybe they could create a place similar to a city in Cocoon. Hope laughed at the thought of it. On the topic of Cocoon, his mind then wandered back to Bodhum. As much as he liked the new group, there were others who held a deeper place in his heart. They just happened to be one moon away. Hope sighed and grabbed a pen and paper. Tomorrow he would worry about the project. Now, he needed to write a letter to Lightning.  _ I miss you already. _ Their separation was his test. For now, he had work to do.

Lightning didn’t show up to campus ever again. Though, it wasn’t like she showed up before anyways. She officially withdrew from the university the day Hope left, but doing so didn’t release her from current tuition debt. Just another payment on her list. Her resolve stood firm— she registered with the Guardian Corp in Bodhum. That was actually her original goal back when she was Sanctum Scholar: to graduate with honors and hold an officer position in the GC division of the military. Being a Sanctum Scholar would have given her a head start with an honorary officer position, but now as a recruit she would have to work her way from the very bottom. When she showed up to her first day of training, the lieutenant in charge already saw promise and potential from her. 

“What’s your name?” The tall, bulky man asked Lightning.

“Lightning Farron.” Lightning responded firmly. She looked stiff.

“Relax and loosen up a bit, soldier.” His chuckled words were unexpected. “I’m Lieutenant Amodar, and I’ll be in charge of you for the next few years. Welcome to the Guardian Corps.” He gave her a smile and extended his hand.

Noel became a frequent visitor at the Sunleth Waterscape. There was a new barista to replace Lightning as she had left to join the Guardian Corps, but Vanille stayed. He found it lonelier without Hope around to tease. Despite their original rushed introductions, he came to befriend Vanille. It was nice for her to meet another Pulsian immigrant. In the short time in which Noel knew Hope, they never touched the topic of his origins. Hope wouldn’t have been able to guess with his lack of an accent either way. Noel found that he really liked the Sunleth Waterscape. More importantly, it was through one of their windows that he saw a blue-haired beauty in a flower shop across the street. It was his definition of love-at-first-sight. If Hope could see him, he would surely call him flower boy.

That wasn’t the only change starting in the Sunleth Waterscape. The new barista was named Lebreau. She had plenty of experience, already running her own bar. With her new presence came along a specific gang of immature boys. They all liked to call themselves NORA. Yuj, Maqui, Gadot, just to name a few of them, with Snow as their fearless leader. They all knew of Snow’s financial situation and had the desire to help him out, which is what prompted Lebreau to grab this job the moment it became available. Snow was on the prowl for whatever odd jobs he could find. But together as a group they prayed that the Guardian Corps would one day recognize and approve their presence as a neighborhood watch, and maybe even fund them. They liked to dream. The cafe would become a new home for them, a breath of fresh air with its new atmosphere. Coincidentally, the NORA boys remembered the cafe from one time before; they accidentally crashed into someone right outside of it on their way to meet Snow about six months ago. They realized they probably should have apologized to them. They wondered what happened to that poor bystander.

Back on campus, Cid continued to investigate. Without the other three constantly around him, many pieces of evidence didn’t line up. He had a clear mind to think with and a clear goal to start his second semester.  _ How did Yaag even know who Hope was? He knew too much about him. Better yet, they said they heard Alyssa’s words themselves. We had a final that day, what were they doing in the physics department? How did Alyssa gain access to the security camera? What happened to all of the evidence in the first place? _ Cid was on to something. Despite his disdain for Lightning, he knew her ideals were in line. He didn’t want to admit it, but he realized they were too rough on her. She truly followed through and dropped out. He too wanted to join the Guardian Corps, to protect the common people. He wasn’t interested in the larger PSICOM branch that Yaag and Jihl constantly talked about. No one knew what Caius’ goal was, as he never discussed it with them. Cid’s suspicion was high.

And after a very intense day, Lightning prepared herself for the night. She had been doused in sweat from their training regimen. It was brutal for initial conditioning, not to mention the fact that she was purposefully pushing herself harder than anyone else. She was a machine. As much as Lieutenant Amodar bugged her to open up more, she was still cold with her fellow trainees. But they didn’t mind, it would take time for her to grow comfortable. She was focused on one goal for now: her first paycheck would arrive in two weeks. It wasn’t much, but it was much better than what she was earning before. With this confirmed form of income, things were looking up for her. Despite all of her fatigue, she sat down at her desk with paper and a pen. She needed to write a letter to Hope. She couldn’t help but miss him. He had been with her for such a short amount of time, but in that time, he had always been right alongside her. She was going to wait for him, no matter how long it took. She knew he was waiting for her too. But for the time being, she had work to do. 


	19. Connection

Hope swore he wrote at least a thousand letters in the first two years that they were separated. More often than not, Hope sent multiple letters at time. There was so much he wanted to say and so much that he wanted to ask. A single letter per day didn’t cut it. It was like a diary: he wanted to share all of his thoughts with Lightning. Furthermore, with how poor the transportation was between Pulse and Cocoon, Hope would have to send his daily letters in batches. The third Friday of the month became his favorite day— the convoy would arrive and he would trade his batch of letters for a batch sent in by Lightning. It brought him so much joy to see her name written on those envelopes.

Lightning’s writing was only a little different. No one could beat Hope in sheer quantity of words, but an outsider would put their wager on Lightning’s quality of words. She wrote just as frequently as Hope, making sure to journal everyday just like him. The fourth Monday of every month had become her favorite day. She felt the same joy that Hope felt when she saw the masses of envelopes with Hope’s writing on it.

When they read each other's letters, it was as if they were right there alongside each other. Hope could feel Lightning’s struggles and dedication through her words. He knew how much faster and stronger she was becoming. Her training was a hell that Hope wished he never would have to partake in. From her first few fears and qualms she had, to the newfound duty and comfort she found in the Corps, he was with her. He felt her same shock when she wrote about how Alyssa apologized to her. He felt her anger (and his own), if not more, when she wrote about how someone tried to touch her. He cheered her on when she wrote about how she punched that same douchebag. He was beyond proud when she got her first promotion, which was quickly followed by a second and third. He wasn’t surprised though. In this way, he was with her through it all, sadness, anger, happiness, and even when there was no feeling associated with it. He was there.

Lightning could have published a novel on Pulse based on Hope’s letters. She remembered the measly tent he described, and his ecstatic feeling when they finally began to build permanent buildings and housing units. She saw the modernization of Pulse through his eyes, and even felt the slight regret that he felt when he described the destruction of nature. She felt his pain when he was attacked by monsters; she felt his joy when a discovery was made. She felt his distrust (along with her own) when he wrote about how he saw that Alyssa had applied to transfer into his project, and she felt his graciousness when he decided to give her a second chance. Even with all of his smart talk and extravagant vocabulary, Lightning knew he was the same goofy boy she came to love. She was glad to be with him, one way or another.

They liked to joke around and dream in their letters—

“You know, with all those discoveries you keep making, you’ll eventually become famous.”

“I’d like to let you know I think I already am famous. There’s been a lot of praise coming from the capital you know.” Not even writing could escape Hope’s corny humor.

“What’s next? Are my letters going to have to be filtered before you can read them. Will I have to pass through your bodyguards by the time I get to see you?” Lightning’s sarcasm was just as prominent on paper as it was in person.

“Just bypass that all by being my bodyguard then.”

“Haha, I would love to. But I don’t think I’d enjoy the attention it brought.”

“Nor would I. I would be happy with a simple life with you.”

In the two years they wrote letters, Bodhum changed once again. Alyssa graduated at the top of their class with distinction. She was a physics genius just like Hope. But she didn’t forget the awful deeds she did. She went out of her way to apologize to Lightning, explaining herself fully. She told her about Caius, Yaag, Jihl, and how blinded she was to have agreed to work with them. As angry as Lightning was, she forgave her. Enough time had passed, and she was genuine with her apology. But she made her do one thing— tell Cid Raines everything. As much as Lightning hated all four, she had to admit Cid was the least bad of them all. He had a true sense of justice in him last she remembered; he just hung out in the wrong group, just like herself. It was definitely the right choice on Lightning’s part.

Alyssa was all Cid needed to confirm his suspicions. Over his last year in university, he had connected all of the dots. Lightning was correct the whole time. He just needed a solid piece of evidence, or a testimony to expose Yaag and Caius. Alyssa was the key. But by the time he had it all together, Caius had already left the university. He vanished during their last year. Yaag and Jihl continued to graduate, though Yaag’s reputation was tarnished. It wasn’t the punishment he deserved, but it was something. Cid was unable to convict Jihl of anything due to her indirect involvement. Unfortunately, their future in PSICOM would continue. As frustrated as he could be, he knew it was his fault as well— he should have trusted Lightning from the very beginning. All he could do was truly look out for a better future, keeping people like them in check from now on.

Hope’s next discovery on Pulse would end the era of letter writing between himself and Lightning. He found what was called an “Oracle Drive.” It was a device capable of storing memories and images, resembling the ability of a video camera. The most astounding part of the discovery was how the Oracle Drive stored the data— within a crystal. Other scientists reasoned that it was ancient Pulsian technology used to store visions of the future. Hope didn’t need visions of the future. He just wanted to share his present with her.

Hope reasoned that if the crystal stores data, it must be a conduit for energy. So, his scientific brain began to think of a way to modify it.  _ Add a satellite dish to one end of the crystal as in input. Add another output antenna.  _ He tested his idea with two separate Oracle Drives. It worked— the Oracle Drives were capable of sending and receiving data between crystals. The wavelength of energy sent was unique too, making it impossible to tap in on. Moreover, if the Oracle Drives were left to continuously be receiving and sending waves, it could act like a video call.  _ The perfect encrypted call.  _ Now he would just have to send one to Lightning. It was going to be a long shot, literally.  _ Electromagnetic waves sent throughout space: I hope it works. _ He recorded all of his thinking and methodology on one of the Oracle Drives. With all of the attachments connected and a set of instructions within, Hope sent it to Cocoon in a convoy. He would only have to wait for Lightning to receive it.

Lightning was baffled when she received the Oracle Drive from Hope. After random attempts of tapping and pulling, she got the recorded projection to play. She understood, and she was more than excited. She did as Hope told her in the recording, and activated his attachments. And almost instantaneously, she saw a projection of Hope. And the projection instantly jumped back.  _ It worked!  _ The two immediately went to hug each other, and suddenly realized the ineffectiveness of it. But they didn’t mind, they could finally talk face to face. It would become their new form of communication for the next two years. Talking, chatting, and enjoying each other’s presence in real time. They could even leave voicemail-esque video messages if they weren’t available. Cell service in Pulse wasn’t going to be available for at least another two years anyways.

Within those next two years, Cid Raines rose up to become a general in the Guardian Corps. His time as a Sanctum Scholar gave him a direct route and ticket to this position, not to mention how he was already qualified. He was in charge of protecting the skies. Hope missed only one factor in his joyous discovery. Cid was left with one mystery that he could never solve— whenever he flew over Bodhum, a strange interference would mess up all of his communication systems. No one was able to track it or tap into it. It just blurred and messed up their own signals.

Hope and Lightning themselves wondered why their projections had a bit of lag occasionally. They just blamed space and the clouds above them.


	20. The Director and his Bodyguard

A phone started to ring. Officially five years had passed since Hope arrived in Pulse. As much fun as his Oracle Drive was, the scientists finally installed interplanetary cell towers between Pulse and Cocoon. The internet was now interplanetary. Pulse was no longer full of just scientists either, the Academy project had grown into an entire city. Academia they named it. A fitting name for a city of discovery and research. The silver-haired man picked it up.

“So, it’s Director Estheim now, huh?” The female voice played with him.

“Lieutenant Farron? Major Farron? General Farron? You’ve got a lot of titles yourself, Light.” Hope teased her back.

“It’s good to hear your voice. Congratulations on your new position.” Lightning’s sincere voice made Hope blush.

“It’s nothing in comparison to what you’ve achieved, Light.” Hope complimented her back.

“You’ve definitely made a name for yourself here in Cocoon. Everyone’s waiting for the appearance of the mysterious director. You better watch out now.” Lightning was serious in her last words.

“Oh, don’t worry. I’ll have a bodyguard with me,” Hope spoke as he flipped through the pages of applicants. He found the one he was looking for. He signed his approval on it and emailed it to the Cocoon military.

“Hmm?” Lightning hummed innocently.

“I’ll be looking for you in Eden.” Lightning smiled.

“Myself as well.”   
  


Hope’s flight to Cocoon took almost no time. Five years of technology and research made their interplanetary transportation much more efficient. Crystal energy was a miracle. Three hours instead of three days. He was headed to Eden, the capital of Cocoon. He had an appearance to make. Their large aircraft landed, and there was already a crowd waiting. The podium was ready, microphones and cameras surrounding the area. Rygdea and Alyssa began to exit the aircraft. But Hope's eyes were looking for something else. Slowly walking down the stairs of the aircraft, he saw them. Their eyes.

They walked straight up to Hope. His escort and bodyguard. He quickly glanced at Rygdea and Alyssa. His eyes told them a silent message. They understood. He then put his hand on his bodyguard’s shoulder, pulling their ear close.

“Let’s run away, Claire. Let’s go home.”

The director failed to make an appearance on that fateful day. It caused a large commotion and news article for that week, but it was soon forgotten. Alyssa and Rygdea told the world what they needed to know. The future was hopeful with their technology. The director and his bodyguard vanished.

_ Two months later _   
  


Bodhum was quiet, even on the weekends. Living in that seaside university town, a routine would follow the same steps. But for some, a small, repetitive routine was desirable. There was a new student in town, exploring the city before the new semester began. A journalism major: she was fascinated by the discoveries and leap in modernization on Pulse— she was one of the few who remembered that it was all led by a certain director. She truly wished that he hadn’t disappeared that day so she could have had the chance to interview him. But the mystery of his disappearance was left unsolved. Scanning the area as she wandered, she remembered reading about how a certain cafe named the Sunleth Waterscape was a local hot spot for couples in the area. People said that the cafe used to break couples apart, but it was only a legend. Anyone who walked in now would feel love drawing people together. Especially on a Saturday. That was when the new owners would work a shift together. The new student decided to check it out.

The cheerful chimes of the bells rang throughout as she pushed the doors open. The sweet and fruity smell of coffee invaded her senses. The cafe was more packed than expected. There were two couples, one sporting pink and blonde hair, and another with dark brown and blue hair. They were among an even larger group, all sitting together in one long table, happily chatting away like one big family. It warmed her heart to see it.

But what melted her heart the most was what was behind the counter. A silver-haired barista working right alongside a pink-haired barista. Their matching rings reflected in the light. In their presence together alone, anyone could see the love they shared. From their mannerisms, actions, and their eyes. Their eyes, they told it all. How her deep aqua stared lovingly into his gracious green.

They were Claire and Hope Farron. The two baristas of Bodhum.

Their love would last beyond lifetimes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's a wrap! Another mega huge special thanks to R_Armchair— truly a legend, I could not have done it without her. And a mega huge special thanks to all of you readers! Thank you so much for keeping up with me and supporting me on my first ever story. It was quite fun. Til next time! :D


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